Kenyan referees among 64 to officiate AFCON in Cameroon

FIFA assistant referee Gilbert Cheruiyot. [Photo courtesy]

Two Kenyan referees have found a place to officiate at the 2021 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

 Dr. Peter Waweru Kamaku has been selected and will be in the VAR booth while Gilbert Cheruiyot will serve as an assistant referee.

The duo were picked to officiate in the tournament among 64 other officials from various countries AFCON was pushed to 2022 due to Covid-19 and will kick off on 9th January 2022 and end on February 6.

This will not be the first major tournament for the experienced pair.

 Back in February this year, the two officiated in the final match of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) where Morocco defeated Mali.

 At the Tokyo Olympics, Cheruiyot was picked to officiate in the men's football tournament.

 In the 2020/2021 Football Kenya federation Premier League season, Waweru was named the best referee in the top tier league.

Unfortunately, Kenyan team Harambee Stars fell short at the AFCON qualifiers where they finished third behind Egypt and Comoros who grabbed the two slots available from Group G and will not be available to play in the tournament.

Morocco dominates the list of match officials selected with eight qualifying to officiate the 33rd edition of the African Football Confederation CAF tournament.

They are Samir Gueezzaz, Adil Zourak, Bouchra Karboubi, Azgaou Lahcen, Akerkad Mustapha, Zakaria Brinsi and Jermoumi Fatiha. Other countries producing referees are Algeria and Egypt with five each with Senegal 4, Tunisia and Cameroon both produce three each.

DRC, Seychelles and South Africa two each with the same number from CONCACAF. Ethiopia, Gambia, Zambia, Mali, Botswana, Angola, Ghana, Burundi, Mauritania, Rwanda, Mauritius, France, Sudan, Nigeria, Mozambique, Lesotho, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Djibouti, Chad, Niger, Libya, Uganda, Guinea, Comoros, both have one referee.

 In the 24 team tourney, reigning champions Algeria will be looking to defend the crown that they won in 2019 after condemning Senegal to defeat in the final that was played in Egypt.

The 28th ranked nation in the FIFA rankings are pooled in a tough group E alongside Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Group A comprises of the host Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde and Ethiopia with Group B comprising of Guinea, Malawi, Senegal and Zimbabwe.

Group C brings together Comoros, Gabon, Ghana and Morocco while Group D has North African teams, the Pharaoh Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria and Sudan.

While Group F has Gambia, Mali, Mauritania and Tunisia.?