Primus league and MTN Peace Cup winners APR will wind off a 4 day short break today when the team regroups to start preparing for the forthcoming Cecafa/Kagame Cup Club championships slated for July 14-28 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

APR coach Ernest Brandts

The military side is aiming to their 2010 heroics by winning a treble of league, Peace cup and Cecafa cup and with a squad that includes the likes of Papy Faty, Olivier Karekezi, Ndikumana Seleman, Mbuyu Twite, Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza and Dan Wagaluka, Johnson Bagoole, few people would bet against them.

Dutch coach Ernest Brandts is also keen to follow compatriot Erik Paske in winning a treble but if Brandts was to win the trophy on foreign soil, it would make the achievement even more special.

APR has won the regional trophy three times but all those times, the military side has won it on home soil. Only Rayon Sport (1998) and Atraco (2009) have won this cup away from home.

APR Secretary General Adolphe Kalisa told this paper yesterday, “Winning the competition is not easy as most people might think, but we shall do the best to make sure APR returns homes with the trophy.”

The 2010 winners are drawn in Group C along with holders and hosts Yanga Africans of Tanzania. Wau Salam (South Sudan) and Atletico (Burundi) complete the group.
Group A has Simba (Tz), URA (Uganda), Vita Club (DR Congo) and Ports of Djibouti, while Group B is composed of Azam (Tz), Tusker (Kenya) and Mfunzo of Zanzibar.

A total of 11 clubs will contest the two week tournament that, according to Cecafa officials, will be shown Live by Supersport in over 48 African countries.

APR will kick off their campaign for a fourth regional title against newcomers Wau Salam in the opening match of championship on Saturday, July 14. Defending champions Yanga will open the championship against Burundi’s Atletico on the same day.

By Ostine Arinaitwe, The New Times