CECAFA mourns former Cranes star Ayieko

Nicholas Musonye the CECAFA general secretary has described the death of Timothy Ayieko as a "great robbery" to the sports fraternity in the region.

The former Uganda Cranes player and coach succumbed to heart and kidney complications over the weekend and will be laid to rest in Kisumu, Kenya next weekend.

In a statement on Monday morning, Musonye said that the region had lost a great human resource.

Ayieko manned Uganda Cranes' midfield when the team posted the country's best ever performance at the African Cup of Nations finishing as runners up in 1978.

He played football in different clubs in Uganda and Kenya before coaching the Uganda Cranes. At one point he was the sports officer for Kakira Sugar Works in Eastern Uganda.

"To the entire sports fraternity of Uganda and the leadership of FUFA in particular, I share the pain with you for the loss of such a great human resource in the field of football," Musonye said.

Ayieko's remains will be taken to Kakira Main Stadium for public viewing after a requiem mass at St. Steven Church in Jinja today afternoon.

He developed heart complications early this year and underwent surgery in India but his condition continued to deteriorate with the onset of kidney complications due to medication after the surgery.

"He had heart surgery in July (2017) but his condition has never been better. He suffered kidney complications after the surgery due to the medication he took. The condition got worse last night and he passed on in the morning," his daughter Lilian Ayieko said.