Local clubs Wananchi and Weatherhead Hockey Clubs will carry Uganda’s flag at this weekend when the 2016 edition of the Africa Cup of Club Championships kick off at the City Park Stadium in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
The 2015 National Hockey league champions and runners’ up in both the ladies and men’s category; Wananchi hockey club (men and ladies) alongside Weatherhead Hockey Club (men and Gazelles) will are set to depart for Nairobi on Thursday evening.
Weatherhead men will square up with Ghana’s Exchequers on Saturday morning while their female counterparts face Sliders of Kenya later in the afternoon.
According to Jackie Namyalo, the Uganda Hockey Association (UHA) spokesperson, tells TheUgandan there shall be a flag off ceremony at the Lugogo National Council of Sports Complex at 3pm for all the four teams.
Nine men and ten women teams from hosts Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Ghana and Uganda have confirmed their participation in the annual competition.
Africa Hockey Federation (AHF) President Ahmed Seif asked Kenya to embark on preparations for the continental event after Zimbabwe withdrew and the tournament dates were further moved from December this year to January 7 -15th this year due to the Junior World Cup that was be held at the end of the year.
Fifteen clubs (eight men and seven women) took part in last year’s edition played at the Olympic Centre in Lusaka, Zambia where Kenyan side Telkom Orange and Eastern Company from Egypt won the women’s and men’s titles respectively.