CECAFA: Harambee Stars coach Kimanzi slapped with two-match suspension

Harambee Stars Head coach Francis Kimanzi [Courtesy]

Harambee Stars Head coach Francis Kimanzi has been handed a two-match suspension by the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) after members of the Kenyan delegation were found guilty of unsporting behavior in the ongoing CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup in Kampala, Uganda.

Kimanzi will now miss the team’s matches against Sudan on Tuesday and Zanzibar in the weekend.

Kenya got their title defence off to a perfect start, as it took only four minutes for Bandari winger Abdalla Hassan to open his Stars’ goal account on his full national team debut.

The goal turned out to be the match-winner in a closely-contested encounter at Lugogo Stadium.

In a letter seen by Game Yetu on Monday, December 9, the federation accused the Kenyan coach and his technical bench of unsporting behavior during their opening match against Tanzania.

Assistant coach Zedekiah Otieno was not spared, as the committee requested he be ‘heavily reprimanded’.

Unsporting behavior from Kenya

In a statement released by Cecafa Secretary General Nicholas Musonye, Kimanzi is accused of chasing away the fourth official, Muhammed Gedi, from the stadium’s dressing room moments before players took to the pitch.

The technical team is also accused of vandalising the dressing room, forcing kick-off delay by 10 minutes.

Otieno has also been warned of his conduct in relation to Sunday's incident and CECAFA has ordered the Kenya National team to submit the list of five technical bench officials before Tuesday’s tie.

CECAFA'S statement: 

CECAFA'S statement

CECAFA'S statement [Courtesy]