Nigerian champions Heartland FC have been drawn in this year’s regional Council for East and Central African Football Associations (Cecafa) Kagame Cup that runs in Kigali, Rwanda from May 15-29.

The Nigerians join DR Congo’s TP Mazembe as guest sides for the regional showpiece where the Rwanda government has injected US$1m.

“The US$1m will cater for air tickets for all teams, referees, officials, accommodation and cash prize,” said Cecafa’s secretary general Nicholas Musonye yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) at the headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

Musonye also thanked the Cecafa patron and President of Rwanda Paul Kagame for supporting Cecafa for the last 15 years and giving the regional body a life line in running it’s programmes.

In the draws conducted this afternoon, Rwanda champions APR will renew their rivalry against African champions TP Mazembe who eliminated them last month in the CAF Orange Champions League second round. The two are pooled in Group A along side Vita O of Burundi and Djibouti’s Telkom.

Group B will have last year’s Champions league finalists Heartland battling Rwanda’s Rayon Sport, Mafunzo of Zanzibar and coach Micho Sredojevic’s St George from Ethiopia. Uganda Revenue Authority, Simba of Tanzania, Kenya’s Sofapaka and defending champions Atraco from Rwanda will complete Group C.

Group A: APR (Rwanda), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Vital O (Burundi), Telkom (Djibouti)

Group B: Rayon Sport (Rwanda), St George (Ethiopia), Heartland (Nigeria), Mafunzo (Zanzibar)

Group C: Atraco (Rwanda), Sofapaka (Kenya), URA (Uganda), Simba (Tanzania)