St Joseph’s Boys Kitale of Kenya, otherwise known as Jobo, will start their campaign in the pursuit of the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association football title on Sunday. Their first game will be against the hosts, Bukedea Comprehensive School of Uganda, right after the opening ceremony.
Jobo was placed in Pool ‘A’, which includes defending champions St Mary’s Kitende and Highway Secondary of Kenya, the champions, among others, as well as Tanzania’s Benjamin Mkapa Secondary. Coach Amos Juma has worked on the shortcomings that saw them finish third at the nationals and is confident of their chances. “We want to bring the trophy home. I’ve worked on my past mistakes and then did some strength training, knowing Ugandans play a more physical game,” said Juma. The team will rely most on Instil Simiyu, who was the top scorer at the national championship with eight goals.
St Mary’s Kitende is a tough team, with 14 regional championship titles under its belt. On their part, past winners at the regional level include Kenyan teams Barding in 2016, while St Anthony’s Kitale won it in 2002. However, Highway Secondary will be without head coach Beldine Odemba, who is engaged to lead Kenya Police Bullets in Ethiopia for the Cecafa Zonal qualifier for the CAF Women’s Champions League. The hopes of Highway will rest on Humphrey Aroko, who was MVP in the just-concluded national championship.
Pool ‘B’ includes Kenya’s Musingu High, Rwanda’s Ape Rugunga, Tanzania’s Kalangalala, and Uganda’s Amus College and St Julian. Musingu coach Brendan Mwinamo knows the pool will not be any easy but has confidence in his team’s preparations for the regional title.
The girls’ competition also features St Joseph’s Girls Kitale and Nyakach Girls of Kenya in the same Group ‘A’ that also includes Uganda’s St Noa and defending champions Kawempe Muslim, as well as GS Remera Rukoma Kamonyi of Rwanda. Pool ‘B’ has the defending champions, Butere Girls, from Kenya. They will fight for the top place with Uganda’s Amus College and Rines, Tanzania’s Alliance and Tanzanite. According to Butere Girls Coach Tobias Ojenge, they are resolved to win the regional title this time around after losing last year to Kawempe Muslim.