ELEVEN cities have so far confirmed participation in the 12th edition of the East and central Africa Inter Cities championships slated for Mombasa next month, a top official revealed yesterday.
Agina Wesonga, the Inter Cities executive officer told the Star in an interview that the coastal city is all set to host the tournament that will bring together teams from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda and host Kenya.
Agina said that the local organizing committee (LOC) led by Coast Basketball Association (CBA) chairman Hilim Ali was working round the clock to stage perhaps the best event ever.
"We have just come from Mombasa and I can assure you that LOC are doing their best to stage a good tournament. We had a meeting with them and had a fruitfull discusion." said Agina.
The organsiers main worry remains the playing courts and Agina was optimistic that the existing ones would be refurbished before the championship gets underway in a few weeks.
"The problem that we noted is the courts. But we had asked the committee to see how repairs can be done to the Baptist court and also the Kenya Ports Authority gymnasium because these are the main venues the matches would bestaged." noted Agina.
Accomodation, he said was ok and that organisers were approaching sponsors to see if some of the team expenses can be brought down by way of subsidising.
Agina who also met His Worship the Mombasa Mayor was accompanied during the tour by chairman Simon Msoffe and treasurer Joy Olinga revealed that the organisers were negotiating for subsidised rates for the teams and that would see them pay less in accomodation and meals.
The event that throws off on March 23-27 have attracted teams from Mwanza, Tanga, Mbeya, Arusha and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Kampala (Uganda), Mogadishu (Somalia), Lusaka (Zambia), Harare (Zimbabwe), Nairobi and Mombasa (Kenya).
Kenyan teams Nairobi (women) and Mombasa (men) are the reigning championships having won last championships in Arusha.
Dann Owere
FIBA Africa