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

In a brief statement shared on his X account on Friday, August 22, 2025, Murkomen reached out to Tanzania after their defeat to Morocco, to express sympathy for their tournament exit.

“Pole Jirani. Tuko pamoja kwa msimu huu!” Murkomen wrote, which translates to “Sorry, neighbour. We are together in this season!”

Tanzania eliminated

Murkomen’s remarks came just hours after Morocco edged out Tanzania with a 1-0 victory in a tense quarter-final match held at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Tanzania became the second team to be eliminated in the quarter-finals, following Kenya’s loss to Madagascar.

The match on Friday saw Tanzania and Morocco struggle to break the deadlock during the first hour, with limited chances for both teams.

Despite playing at home and benefiting from strong fan support, Tanzania could only manage two shots on target from a total of 11 attempts.

The turning point in the game came in the 65th minute when Morocco’s Oussama Lamlioui scored the only goal, shifting the match’s momentum and forcing Tanzania to chase the game for the remainder of the contest.

Despite late substitutions and a surge in attacking play, the Taifa Stars were unable to breach Morocco’s disciplined defence.

By the final whistle, Morocco had successfully managed their lead to secure the victory.

Eyes on Uganda

With both Tanzania and Kenya eliminated, all eyes are now on Uganda to carry the East African flag in the tournament.

The Group C leaders will face Senegal in their quarter-final match at the Mandela National Stadium on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 3 pm.

This marks the first time the Uganda Cranes have reached the knockout stage of the CHAN tournament.

“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,” Morley Byekwaso stated at a pre-match press conference on Friday.

“This is not a friendly — it’s a knockout game where we must show character and discipline. Senegal is experienced; they’ve been champions for the last two years, but with our fans behind us, we believe we can achieve victory,” he added, as quoted by CAF.