MAINLAND'S national soccer team, Kilimanjaro Stars, yesterday got the draw no-one wanted after being picked to face three strong teams in the Cecafa/Orange Senior Challenge Cup's 'Group of Death.'

Uganda's Cranes, title-holders and one of the best teams in the East and Central African region, are are top seeds in the group and will be joined by Burundi and Zanzibar in taking on Marcio Maximo's lads.

Kilimanjaro Stars will launch their campaign in the tournament on November 29 against the Ugandans in a Group C match at the Mumias Stadium, in Kenya.

This year's tournament kicks-off on November 28, according to the fixture released yesterday by the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) in Nairobi, Kenya yesterday.

The day will also see Zanzibar Heroes face Burundi in another Group C match of the tournament sponsored by  Orange, Telkom Kenya’s commercial brand to a tune of $175,000.

 All 11 member nations of Cecafa are expected to compete in the tournament, together with guest sides Zambia and Zimbabwe, who are reigning Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) champions.

Maximo’s team entered camp on Tuesday, days after their tour of Egypt and Yemen where they tumbled 5-1 to Egypt in one of their last three international friendlies.

They last won the trophy in 1994. In 2002, they went close when they make it into the final but lost 3-2 to Kenya in Dar es Salaam.

Kenya, Zambia, Ethiopia and Djibouti are in Group A, while Group B comprises Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Eritrea and Somalia