Uganda Cranes co-coaches Morley Byekwaso and Fred Muhumuza have named their final 26-man squad for the CECAFA 4 Nations Tournament in Arusha, Tanzania with three surprise omissions.
Goalkeeper Hannington Ssebwalunyo, midfielder Shamir Kimwero, and defender Ronald Otti have all been left out after weeks in camp, raising eyebrows among fans and pundits alike.
The team travels to Arusha on Sunday, a day after the squad announcement. Uganda will join Kenya, hosts Tanzania, and guest team Senegal in the regional tournament, a key warm-up for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), which kicks off in early August.
The format is simple: semi-finals on July 23rd, with the winners meeting in the final four days later. Uganda faces Kenya in an East African derby, while Tanzania takes on Senegal.
As the dropped players return home, the coaches’ focus is firmly on building a team ready to compete when CHAN 2024 begins on August 2 a tournament Uganda co-hosts with Kenya and Tanzania.
