Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has sent a message of solidarity to Tanzania following their elimination from the African Nations Championship (CHAN).

In a statement posted on his X account on Friday, August 22, 2025, Murkomen expressed his sympathy to Tanzania after their defeat to Morocco, stating, “Pole Jirani. Tuko pamoja kwa msimu huu”, which translates to “Sorry, neighbour. We are together in this season!”

Tanzania Eliminated

Murkomen’s remarks came shortly after Morocco defeated Tanzania 1-0 in a quarter-final match held at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. This loss marked Tanzania as the second team to exit the tournament, following Kenya’s earlier defeat to Madagascar.

The match was tightly contested, with both teams struggling to find the back of the net until Morocco’s Oussama Lamlioui scored the decisive goal in the 65th minute. Despite strong home support, Tanzania managed only two shots on target from 11 attempts.

Focus Shifts to Uganda

With both Tanzania and Kenya out of the tournament, attention now turns to Uganda, who will represent East Africa in the quarter-finals against Senegal on Saturday, August 23, 2025. This marks the first time the Uganda Cranes have reached the knockout stage of the CHAN tournament.

Coach Morley Byekwaso expressed confidence in his team’s preparation, stating, “Tomorrow will be a very tough game, but we are prepared. It’s a special match for us because we are playing at home and want to bring joy to our fans.”