BY GISHINGA NJOROGE

Harambee Stars’ Francis Kahata (right) of Thika United tussles with an Ethiopian opponent when Kenya played the first match of the ongoing Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup at the Nyayo National Stadium. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO / STANDARD]

CECAFA: Azam of Dar es Salaam want to sign Kenya and Thika United midfielder Francis Kahata for the highest fee any Kenyan Premier League player has attracted when moving to another club in the East and Central African region.

Azam are offering Kahata a monthly salary of Sh135, 000 a month after an immediate payment of Sh1 million on signing. Another Sh 1.5 million will go to Thika United.

For this package, Azam wish to have Kahata immediately on a six-month loan from Thika.

Should Kahata prove satisfactory to Azam, then they will consider signing him on permanently in May 2014 and will pay an additional Sh1.5 million to Thika United thus making him a Sh3 million transfer man, by far the highest for a Kenyan in this region.

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Kahata would also get a further personal Sh1million in the May 2014 completion of deal.

Azam made the proposal to Thika United owner, Elio Lolio, on Sunday and were awaiting a response.

Youth protege

Kahata, a youth protégé who trained in South Africa and Italy in the past is now a key player in the Kenya national team, Harambee Stars, which has reached the semi-finals of the ongoing Cecafa (Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations).

Azam have also made a second option offer to Thika United; to agree to swap Kahata with another Kenyan  international - Humphrey Ochieng’ Mieno - currently with the Dar es Salaam club.

Higher stakes

The stakes have thus been moved much higher on Kahata’s signing and will impact heavily on local KPL clubs, champions Gor Mahia and arch rivals AFC Leopards, who were also said to have been interested in the player.

None of these clubs have ever paid Sh1 million for a player or indeed a salary beyond Sh90, 000 a month.

Kahata’s possible move would have to be completed in the next few days as Azam would like him to be on their roster for next year’s CAF (Confederation of African Football) Cup.

The CAF registration deadline (without fines) is this month.

A move to either Gor or AFC Leopards would also have to be completed as soon as possible because the two clubs are set for the Africa Champions League and CAF Cup, respectively.

Kahata also won the confidence of Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche, who handed him the arm band.