Two Kenyan referees, Peter Waweru and Gilbert Cheruiyot have been named on the Confederation of African Football (Caf)’s initial list of officials set to officiate at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Egypt from June 21 to July 19.
If they make the final list, centre referee Waweru, a don in mathematics at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and Cheruiyot will be making their debut at these finals that will feature 24 teams for the first time.
A total of 56 match officials (27 centre and 29 assistant referees) were picked.
Uganda and Tanzania have not produced any single match official in the list.
Waweru has officiated at the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Niger in February, his major tournament since getting the Fifa badge in 2017.
Both, however, have massive experience in international matches having officiated in the Caf interclub competitions, as well as Afcon qualifiers.
Kenya had only one referee at the 2017 edition in Gabon namely Aden Marwa, who has since been handed a life ban by the world football governing body, Fifa for allegedly accepting bribe.
Harambee Stars will also be featuring in this 32nd edition having qualified from group “F” alongside Ghana.
They were pooled in group “C” together with neighbours Tanzania, Senegal and Algeria whom they face in the opening group match on June 23.