Kenya: Were Replaces Mutiso

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Francis Wadegu

24 June 2011

Tusker striker Paul Were has be drafted into the national under-23 team that will face off with Uganda on Sunday in the 2011 All African Games qualifiers.

Were will replace Mathare United’s Innocent ‘Babu’ Mutiso who felt it was necessary for him to step aside to avoid speculation. Mutiso’s club Mathare United has sent a statement to Football Kenya Limited (FKL), indicating that they were only allowing ‘Babu’ to play in the match as one of the three over age players as required by the rules of the tournament. “Kindly note as well, that we are releasing Innocent Mutiso on the basis that he is one of the three overage players that are allowed under the tournament rules,” read the statement in part.

KCB coach Leonard Saleh, who is also the coach of the under-23 side, rued Mutiso’s departure but was adamant that they had included him after following due process. “We called in players after looking at their documents,” explained Saleh.

The under-23 team has been holding joint training sessions with the senior Harambee Stars squad who will be facing Sudan tomorrow in LG African Cup friendly. The winner of the two legged encounter between the two East African giants will qualify for the Maputo showpiece.

Uganda fly into the country today for Sunday’s showdown that will be a test drive for the blockbuster encounter between the national teams of the two country’s in the penultimate match of the qualifiers for the 2012 African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. The match will be played in October in Kampala, Uganda.

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