NAIROBI, Kenya — Four Kenyan referees have been appointed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to officiate the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Egypt and Angola in Cairo.
The Group B encounter will be played at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday, September 25, with kick-off scheduled for 10 pm Cairo time, equivalent to 10 pm East Africa Time.
Peter Waweru Kamaku will serve as the centre referee, leading an all-Kenyan officiating team for the opening fixture of the two nations’ qualifying campaigns.
Four Kenyans Take Charge in Cairo
Waweru will be assisted by Stephen Eleazar Onyango Yiembe as the first assistant referee and Gilbert Kipkoech Cheruiyot as the second assistant referee.
Dickens Mimisa Nyagruwa has been appointed as the fourth official.
The appointments give Kenya a strong presence in one of the headline fixtures of the opening AFCON qualifying round.
The 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign begins with 48 nations divided into 12 groups, with Matchdays 1 and 2 being played between September 24 and October 6.
Waweru Leads Experienced Kenyan Team
Waweru has established himself as one of Kenya’s experienced international referees, having handled matches in major CAF competitions.
He previously officiated Egypt’s 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso in a 2024 AFCON qualifier and has also refereed matches involving Egyptian clubs in continental competitions.
The centre referee was also part of the Kenyan officiating team at the 2025 CHAN tournament and has featured in CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup assignments.
Cheruiyot and Yiembe have also worked alongside Waweru on previous continental assignments.
Yiembe Makes History in UEFA Super Cup
Yiembe’s appointment comes shortly after he made history as the first Kenyan match official selected for a UEFA competition.
He served as the second assistant referee during the 2026 UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg, Austria, as part of an East African officiating team led by Somalia’s Omar Abdulkadir Artan.
The Nakuru-born official has also featured in FIFA and CAF competitions, further expanding Kenya’s representation on the international officiating stage.
His latest CAF assignment gives him another major continental fixture only weeks after his UEFA appearance.
Mimisa Adds Experience to Team
Mimisa completes the Kenyan contingent as the fourth official.
He has also handled major CAF assignments, including VAR duties during the 2025 AFCON match between South Africa and Egypt.
His inclusion means all four Kenyan officials selected for the Cairo fixture have previous experience in major international or continental competitions.
Egypt, Angola Open AFCON Qualifying Campaign
Egypt and Angola are in Group B alongside Malawi and South Sudan.
The Pharaohs will open their campaign at home against Angola before travelling to Juba to face South Sudan on September 29.
CAF says the qualifying competition features 12 groups of four teams, with the campaign running through March 2027. The top two teams qualify from groups that do not contain an automatically qualified co-host.
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are automatically qualified for the 2027 tournament as co-hosts.
Kenya Builds Refereeing Profile
The Cairo assignment adds to a growing list of high-profile international appointments for Kenyan match officials.
Yiembe’s historic UEFA Super Cup appearance and Waweru’s continued involvement in major CAF fixtures have increased Kenya’s visibility in international football officiating.
