By James Bakama
and Reuben Olita

UGANDA champions SC Villa will meet Young Africans of Tanzania Mainland in their opening group match of the regional club championships in Kampala January 25-February 6.

Uganda's other representatives Express will take on St. George's of Ethiopia in the first match of their group.

Villa are in a tough group ‘A’ that also includes El Merreikh of Sudan, Red Sea (Eritrea) and Zanzibar's Mlandege.

Like Villa, Express too have a tough assignment as they have been pitted agaist another formidable side Rayon Sports of Rwanda.
Group 'B' will comprise Simba of Tanzania, AC Nakuru (Kenya), Muzinga (Burundi) and Borrer of Djibouti.

In the fixtures released by CECAFA secretary Nicholas Musonye on Wednesday, El Merreikh will open the Paul Kagame Cup campaign on January 25 against Red Sea of Eritrea. Villa will meet Yanga the same day.

Musonye said the best team from each of the three groups will automatically qualify for the semi finals.

The last place, Musonye said will be filled by the best loser in the groups, a deviation from previous tradition where two teams from each group sail through to the quarterfinals.

Rwandese President Paul Kagame is sponsoring the event to the tune of US$60,000. The winners will get $30,000, runners up $20,000 and third placed will pocket $10,000.

FUFA's ineptitude has again been exposed.
The federation's rampant blunders this time had it failing to send a representative to a meeting in Mwanza at the weekend to make draws for the club championship.

Other Council for East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) members were left with no option but go ahead with the draws minus the host.

The ten-nation meeting named Kampala as venue for two groups while Mbale was chosen as host of the third group.

FUFA president Denis Obua was supposed to be Uganda's representative.

But Obua, also a CECAFA vice chairman, did not only attend, but neither sent a representative nor any apologies.

Obua's absence made CECAFA president Farah Addo mad. “Is there something Obua is trying to hide,” asked the Somali.

Issues on the agenda that could not be tackled because of Uganda's absence included progress of preparatory committees, sponsorship and television rights.

Fixtures:
Group 'A' (Kampala)
Jan.25: Merreikh v Red Sea Villa v Yanga
Jan.27: Mlandege v Villa Merreikh v Yanga
Jan.29: Red Sea v Mlandege Villa v Merreikh
Jan.31: Yanga v Mlandege Red Sea v Villa
Feb.2 : Mlandege v Merreikh Yanga v Red Sea
Group 'B' (Kampala)
Jan.26: Nakuru v Muzinga, Simba v Borrer
Jan.28: Muzinga v Simba, Borrer v Nakuru
Jan.30: Simba v Nakuru, Muzinga v Borrer

Group 'C' (Mbale)
Jan.26: Rayon v Elman
Jan.27: Express v St. George
Jan.29: Rayon v Express, Elman v St. George
Feb.1: St. George v Rayon
Feb.2: Express v Elman
Feb3: Rest Day
Feb4: Semi finals
Feb5: Rest Day
Feb.6: Final