Five Eritrean female footballers went missing from their camp at the Sunset Hotel International in Jinja, Uganda. The football players who went missing were between the ages of 16 and 19.
CECAFA confirmed the allegations in a statement, stating that they had vanished from their hotel. He also noted that the incident was reported to Jinja police.
However, Ugandan police, in collaboration with Eritrea’s under-20 women’s football team, the Eritrean community, and Uganda’s Football Federation, are investigating the disappearance of the five Eritrean female footballers from their hotel.
James Mubi, the police spokesperson, said, “We are investigating how the five girls disappeared from their camp at Sunset Hotel International. They have been sleeping in different rooms at the hotel but they disappeared at a go, which means they planned to do so.”
The missing players were identified as Mohammed Yordanos Abraham, 17, Raka Shamat Futsum, 18, Kahsav Rahel Micheal, 18, Knfu Trhas Habate, 19, and Yisehaq Liwam Solomon, 16.
He also warned the visiting players to be patient and avoid moving around without the knowledge of security agencies.
The players are members of the team that traveled to take part in the Women’s Under 20 Championships of the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA).
According to sources, the missing players may have gone to see friends in Jinja, an area home to several Eritrean citizens who live in and around the city or traveled to Kampala.
Eritrea is one of the countries taking part in the ongoing CECAFA Women’s U-20 Football Tournament, which began on October 30th and will end on November 9th, 2021. The tournament takes place at the FUFA Technical Center in Njeru.
The country has lost both of its opening games to Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda.
