1981 CECAFA Cup

Tournament details
Host country	Tanzania
Dates	November 14–28
Teams	8 (from CECAFA confederations)
Final positions
Champions	Kenya (2nd title)
Runners-up	Tanzania
Tournament statistics
Matches played	16
Goals scored	39 (2.44 per match)
← 1980 1982 →

The 1981 CECAFA Cup was the 9th edition of the tournament. It was held in Tanzania, and was won by Kenya. The matches were played between November 14–28.

Somalia withdrew before the tournament.

Group A

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Tanzania	5	3	2	1	0	6	3	+3
Kenya	4	3	2	0	1	3	2	+1
Malawi	3	3	1	1	1	6	4	+2
Zanzibar	0	3	0	0	3	3	9	–6

November 14, 1981

Kenya	1–0	Malawi
Kheri

November 15, 1981

Tanzania	3–1	Zanzibar

November 17, 1981

Kenya	2–1	Zanzibar
Mulamba Kheri

November 17, 1981

Tanzania	2–2	Malawi
		Gondwe ?

November 20, 1981

Malawi	4–1	Zanzibar
Sinalo Gondwe

November 20, 1981

Tanzania	1–0	Kenya

Group B

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Uganda	4	3	1	2	0	5	3	+2
Zambia	3	3	1	1	1	4	4	0
Zimbabwe	3	3	0	3	0	1	1	0
Sudan	2	3	0	2	1	2	4	–2

November 15, 1981

Uganda	2–2	Sudan
		Sami Salah

November 17, 1981

Uganda	3–1	Zambia

November 17, 1981

Zimbabwe	0–0	Sudan

November 19, 1981

Zambia	1–1	Zimbabwe

November 20, 1981

Uganda	0–0	Zimbabwe

November 21, 1981

Zambia	2–0	Sudan

Semi-finals

November 24, 1981

Tanzania	2–1	Zambia

November 24, 1981

Kenya	3–1	Uganda

Third place match

November 27, 1981

Zambia	1–0	Uganda

Final

November 28, 1981

Kenya	1–0	Tanzania
Omah 22'

Attendance: 40,000