Uganda revel in AWCON qualification as Kenyans fight

On Friday, Uganda earned an automatic ticket to their second ever Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) after continental football governing body Caf announced Kenya’s decision to withdraw from the final qualification round.
The two neighbouring nations were due to tussle it out for a berth at the July finals in Morocco and both had summoned players to camp when the announcement was made.
“Uganda become the first team to join hosts Morocco for the final phase of the tournament,” a statement from the Caf communication department reads for avoidance of doubt.

Earlier, Fufa – which made the announcement before Caf – had shared extracts of a letter from continental football governing body in their communication but the news had been scoffed at by sections of the Kenyan public.
Digging up further, we found that the letter addressed to Fufa, several Caf dignitaries and Cecafa federations – including Football Kenya Federation (FKF) general secretary and CEO Barry Otieno, had been written by Abdalla Heba, the senior manager women and futsal competitions at Caf.

“We regret to inform you that we have just received from Kenya FA a correspondence informing us of their withdrawal from Women AFCON Morocco 2022,” Heba’s e-mail said in part.
The background
This was after Otieno wrote to Caf on January 20 informing that the “federation is unable to independently plan and successfully execute any international matches, which include the upcoming Kenya vs. Uganda AWCON 2022 qualifier matches.”

Otieno’s actions are seen as violation of Kenyan laws as there was a government directive on November 11, 2021 disbanding the FKF national executive committee on which he served and was led by embattled FKF chief Nick Mwendwa.
In fact the events have become the subject of political muscle flexing as Ambassador Amina Mohammed – the cabinet secretary at the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage – who installed a caretaker committee to run football activities since November – has threatened to hold “fully accountable” anyone that could have written to Caf informing them of Kenya’s withdrawal and insists her country is still in the qualifiers.

That despite Heba’s letter – received with pomp in Uganda – depicting that Caf and Fifa are yet to warm to the idea of working with the caretakers.
What’s at stake?
“I feel happy and better because of the news coming in that Kenya has withdrawn, meaning that we have now qualified for the Africa Cup. I therefore want to appreciate and congratulate my teammates that had already started preparations for the game,” captain and goalkeeper Ruth Aturo, said as Uganda returned to the stage for the first time since South Africa 2000.

Coach George Lutalo called the qualification “good news that every Ugandan has been praying for” while defender Shadia Nankya called for the team to “continue working hard because we have bigger targets to accomplish.”
The final tournament, which has grown from eight to 12 teams, doubles as the Africa qualifiers for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The top four nations will qualify for the World Cup that has also grown from 24 to 32 teams while two more will advance to the inter-confederation qualification play-offs that the host nations will use to test their readiness for the World Cup.
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