AL FASHIR, KORDOFAN (RBC) The council of east and Central Africa football associations (CECAFA) is taking this year’s CECAFA Kagame club cup to the war-ravaged Sudanese regions of Darfur and Gordofan in a bid to encourage peace and football development in the war-torn areas, secretary General Nicholas Musonye announced hete adding that CECAFA intends taking its tournaments to Somalia too.
“For many years Secretary General Nicholas Musonye told the CECAFA media that the regional football body had always in the past been active in peace building through football and now the time for taking the peace encouraging tournament to Darfur and Gordofan has arrived.
“For many years, CECAFA has always advocated for peace and harmony in the region. We have done it before elsewhere and we shall continue to do so. For us to bring CECAFA to Darfur and South Gordofan, demonstrates our continues desire to spread the message of peace through the beautiful game” Mr. Nicholas Musonye said in an interview with the CECAFA media.
The CECAFA media asked Mr. Nicholas Musonye what he thinks that the holding of such tournament in the troubled of Darfur and Gordofan will bring about he replied.
“We believe this will change the perception people think of Sudan in general and Darfur and Gordofan in general. For us, we believe football is a good platform to tell the world what is exactly is on the ground in Sudan. I was surprised with the enthusiasm people demonstrated when I visited the two states and I believe they will be more excited than ever before when teams start arriving for the big competition” Secretary General Nicholas Musonye explained.
The secretary General noted that Somalia an active nation in the CECAFA family is on the table to for hosting a CECAFA competition in the near future, as the regional body is committed to play a key role in introducing peace into Somalia through football and he hoped that will happen sometime in the near future.
“Yes, as you know, Somalia is deep in my heart and I am already thinking of how to bring a CECAFA Competition in Somalia. I want to discuss this with the Somali FA and see how we can engage the youth of Somalia and bring them together through the power of football. We shall very soon be coming to Somalia” Mr Nicholas Musone replied when the CECAFA media asked him if his football body was intending to take the regional competition to the war-devastated Somalia.
Musonye said that he visited Darfur and Gordofan regions and there was a reliable peace that encouraged CECAFA to take the competition there, but what they want was to encourage the continuation of peace in those areas through the beautiful game.
“There is no war in Darfur and Gordofan right now. I was there for four days and travelled the whole territory. People were happy to meet me and were asking me why I have taken long to visit their territory. Even before Kagame Cup, they are asking me when I will consider another event there” he noted adding that the peace messages of CECAFA will travel around the continent not only in the CECAFA region.
“We had been to more dangerous places for football events before. But this one is equally challenging because people are asking us how we can take a big event like Kagame Cup to Darfur and Gordofan. But we have said before that our President Paul Kagame is a keen leader who wants to see peace in Africa. And that is why we are honouring him to take football to the people of South Gordofan and Darfur” noted Nicholas Musone during an interview with CECAFA media.
The Kagame cup is slated to run for two weeks starting June 18th to July 2nd. And CECAFA is inviting many top football leaders to be part of the celebrations of Kagame cup in a bid to turn the attention of the world to the strength of football and its big role in the promotion of peace though football competitions.
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