Uganda's title test

Kenyan coach Reinhard Fabisch and his assistant Charles Namakora.

Uganda set out in defence of their four-nations title in Arusha on Wednesday, up against the team they beat in the final last year.

The Cranes start the tournament against Kenya¿s Harambee Stars, resuming a rivalry that stretches back almost eight decades.

Last year, Uganda snatched the trophy from their Kenyan hosts in Nairobi in a dramatic penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw.

Captain Sam Kawalya, whose saves in the shootout won him the man of the match award, said his team were confident of repeating the feat in Arusha.

Wednesday's games

1200gmt Uganda v Kenya

1400gmt Tanzania v DR Congo

"We have no intention of handing our title over," Kawalya said on the eve of the opening game.

The Kenya-Uganda clash is immediately followed at the Sheikh Amri Abeid stadium by the meeting between hosts Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It is the first game for the Tanzanians since last year's tournament.

Fifa ban lifted

Tanzania were suspended by Fifa during last year¿s event in Nairobi but allowed to finish their commitments.

But they were not allowed to play in the East and Central African Senior Challenge Cup in Uganda last November.

And they narrowly avoided having their clubs banned from this year's African club competition before the suspension was lifted.

Fifa banned Tanzania after government interference in the Football Association.

Tanzania finished third at the last four nations event, upsetting Ghana in the third place play-off game.

The Congolese promise to be a tougher proposition, having brought a squad they intend fine tuning for the upcoming African Nations Cup finals in Mali.

Coach Louis Watunda is back at the helm for a second spell, having taken the Simbas to third place at the 1998 Nations Cup finals in Burkina Faso.

Included in his squad is defender Mundaba Kissombe, who has just left Inter Clube of Angola to join Spartak Moscow in Russia.

"It's a great chance to look at the players and to make decisions for Mali" said Watunda.

Wednesday's winners will meet in Saturday's final, to be played at the CCM Kirumba stadium in Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria.

That match will be preceded by the third place play-off between Wednesday's losers.