Kampala

UGANDA’S Fifa referee Muhammed Ssegonga is among the 16 referees that have been named to officiate at the MTN Africa Nations Cup finals to be held in Ghana from January 20 – February 10, 2008.
Caf has also named 16 assistant referees for the tournament.
Ssegonga, 37, has been a Fifa referee since 2002 and attended the five-day Caf Elite Referees and Assistant Referees Course, which attracted 48 participants from the continent in Ghana late last month.

The former youth international defender was delighted with the news. “It is good for Ugandan football after the disappointment of Cranes missing out on Ghana 2008. I will represent the nation with honour,” Ssegonga told Daily Monitor.

The no-nonsense referee joins Christopher Musabi Yolisigira (RIP) who officiated in the 1992 finals in Senegal and current Fufa Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Charles Masembe who handled matches at Tunisia 2004, South Africa 1996 and Burkina Faso 1998. Ali Tomusange is another Ugandan who has officiated at the big stage having been selected in Ghana/Nigeria 2000, Mali 2002, World Cup 2002 and Tunisia in 2004.

One referee and assistant referee will come from Asia and must be nominated by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) as per the exchange programme between the two confederations.