By JAMES WAINDI
Sponsors of this year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup, Tusker, have announced a long-term support for football in the region as a new Cup was unveiled for the event set to run between November 27 and December 11 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
Speaking at a press conference where the new trophy was unveiled, East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL) Group Managing Director Seni Adetu said the company was committed to supporting football, the passion of their consumers in the five East African countries where Tusker is available and enjoyed.
"EABL and Tusker are present in Tanzania, South Sudan, Uganda, Kampala, Rwanda and Kenya and one passion our consumers share across the region is football. Our support for the 2010 Cecafa Tusker Cup signals the start of a long-term strategy that EABL will use to promote football in the region to ensure a team from East Africa qualifies for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil," Adetu said on Monday.
He added: "To symbolise our new partnership with Cecafa and football in East Africa, it is out honour to present this new trophy to Cecafa. It is our desire that this new trophy will motivate the participation teams and encourage them to look beyond the region."
The trophy is expected to tour all the East African countries before the tournament kicks off. Noting that none of the East African teams qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa or even the 2010 African Cup of Nations, Adetu said Tusker was committed to raising standards of football in the region.
Cecafa Secretary General Nicholas Musonye promised a highly organised and competitive event to give Tusker value for their sponsorship.
"Cecafa and the football fraternity in the region are thankful for the support Tusker has extended to us. With this kind of support, we are able to stage top class championships and grow football in the region," said Musonye.
