Among the teams are Uganda, Namibia, two-time champions South Africa, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique, Ghana, Burundi, Botswana, Angola and hosts Kenya.

The teams will compete in a host of disciplines including athletics, basketball, badminton, chess, karate, netball (women only), soccer, swimming, table tennis, tennis and volleyball, rugby 7’s, handball and taekwondo while there will be demonstrations in sitting volleyball and American football.

The games will be coming to Kenya for the first time since the country hosted the event in 1978 in which Angola were overall winners. The event is themed: ‘Peace and solidarity in Africa through university sports’.

Kenya University Sports Association (KUSA) Local Organizing Committee chairma, Isaac Mbeche said all arrangements for the one-week extravaganza are complete even though they anticipate more entries including the defending champions Egypt. Mbeche also revealed that the games will be held in four venues–University of Nairobi (main campus), Lower Kabete Campus, Kenya Science and the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

“All arrangements which will make sure that the organisation of the event will be successful have been put in place,” said Mbeche.

“Kenya will be represented in all the disciplines offered where we expect to front a contingent of over 200 participants,” added KUSA chairman Mbaabu Muriithi.

Also in attendance was the Federation of African University Sports (FASU) Ralethe Malumbete who insisted on the need to use sports to supplement academic education. “We have to use education and sports to ensure our youths emerge as a competitive commodity not only in Africa but globally,” said Malumbete.

Mbeche took time to call on sponsors to come forward and bankroll the games which have an estimated operational budget of Sh100m. Corporate sponsors will fork Sh10m, gold Sh5m, silver Sh1m and bronze Sh250,000.