MISSION GABON: Kakamega, Butere set for Africa Airtel Rising Stars Schools Games in Libreville

Sharon Ayindi (left) of Butere Girls is blocked by Norah Mathayo of Tartar Girls during their semi-final match at Kakamega High yesterday. Butere won 1-0. 08/08/14. PHOTO: TITUS MUNALA/STANDARD

Kakamega High and Butere Girls School football teams will represent Kenya in the Africa Airtel Rising Stars Schools Games in Libreville, Gabon, later in the year.

The games, which were earlier scheduled for August 20 to 25, were later postponed due to the outbreak of Ebola in several of the West African countries.

Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association chairman Kimutai Ng'etich confirmed that the two schools will travel to Libreville following clearance from the medical authorities of the hosting country and the Kenyan Government that the outbreak of Ebola virus has been contained.

"We must be cleared first by the medical experts of the hosting country and our Government before we can clear the two schools to travel to the Western African country for the games," he told FeverPitch in an interview on Tuesday.

While calling on the two teams to step up their training in order to keep high levels of fitness, Ng'etich expressed optimism that they will emerge victorious in the continental tournament.

The two teams, who are the national champions, took part in the East African Schools Games in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania last month.

Butere Girls failed to reach the semis at the regional football championships while Kakamega High School Green Commandos were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Kisubi of Uganda, who beat them 1-0.

The Kenyan teams will have to compete against 16 countries in the five-day tournament. They include hosts Gabon, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, Seychelles, Congo Brazzaville, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Burkina Fasso, Madagascar and Niger.

Each team is required to select a squad of 20 players each for the continental championships.

Airtel will sponsor all the teams in the tournament that will include air tickets, accommodation, meal expenses and the local transportation while in Libreville.

The KSSSA has named Maurice Okumu, Okoyo Mong'are and Nancy Nyaenya as three coaches who will handle the two teams.

"Due to his vast experience in the continental championships and relevant documentation of the whole trip, Okumu will also double up as the team manager," Ng'etich explained.

Last year, Kenya was represented in the same competition by Olympic Secondary (women) and Upper Hill High (men) Schools, both from Nairobi at the National Stadium and Agege Township Stadium in Lagos Nigeria.

Olympic Secondary School lost 1-0 to Tanzanian Composite in the girls' final to lift the football title as Upper Hill dropped at the preliminary stages of the championships.