Some perspective needed on Cecafa

Having had my reservations when organisers drew Uganda and Kenya in the same group, I now appreciate the overall impact on Cecafa of having the two rivals tango in the opener Saturday. Where this regional tournament is concerned though, the contrasting fortunes of Uganda and Kenya have got me thinking about priorities.

It is long since Kenya were deemed regional giants; I cling onto memories of the larger-than-life figures of Mohamood Abbas and John Bobby Ogolla as imprinted on my psyche by the booming voice of Mzungu Kanga from a small radio my schoolamates and I used to converge around on the once famous rocks of Makonzi Boarding Primary School.

Abbas and Ogolla, two of the greatest this part of Africa has seen, starred as the Harambee Stars accumulated some of the five Cecafa trophies they boast today. That only amounts to less than half of what Uganda has managed – a whopping twelve.

On hearing the less-than-excited reaction of some Ugandans when The Cranes won the last edition, Lawrence Mulindwa angrily retorted that those who didn’t like it should migrate to Kenya. After calming down however, I imagine the Fufa president can understand why Ugandans are asking for some perspective and more ambition.

Winning Cecafa back in 1989 was a matter of desperation and a cause for nationwide celebration the magnitude of which I had not seen before and haven’t since. Yet it has become more important in recent times for Uganda to transition promising talent into fully fledged internationals (Abel Dhaira, Godfrey Walusimbi, Tony Mawejje, Musa Mudde, Moses Oloya and Emma Okwi spring to mind).

We need to continue that trend while spreading our wings, lest our rivals sneak from under our clutches, if they haven’t already. Consider this.Rwanda (1 Cecafa title) have been to the Nations Cup and a World Cup (Under 17) in our period of regional dominance.

Ethiopia (4 titles) are going to South Africa 2013, and Sudan (3 titles) were in Gabon last time out. Without setting Cecafa alight, Kenyans Denis Oliech and McDonald Mariga have reached levels in Europe only Ibra Sekajja can match.

Mariga’s little brother Victor Wanyama, the slayer-in-chief of the mighty Barcelona in the Champions League recently, is currently on every big club’s shopping list …Lets us win Cecafa again, but let us use it in the right way, for the right things.

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