AFCON 2025: Kenyan officials to oversee Cameroon vs South Africa Round of 16 clash

Kenyan referees will once again be at the centre of Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) action after FIFA referee Peter Kamaku was handed a key appointment for the Round of 16 clash between Cameroon and South Africa at the ongoing AFCON 2025 in Morocco.

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Kamaku will lead three other Kenyans in the officiating team for the high-stakes encounter later this evening at the Al Medina Stadium with the match is set to kick off at 22:00.

The fixture will mark Kamaku’s third assignment at the championship, and his first as the tournament enters the decisive knockout stage.

He will be assisted by fellow Kenyan officials Gilbert Cheruiyot and Stephen Eleazer Yiembe, who will serve as first and second assistant referees respectively.

DR Congo’s Jean Jacques Ndala has been appointed as the fourth official, while experienced Ghanaian referee Daniele Nii Ayi Laryea will oversee Video Assistant Referee duties.

The Kenyan trio previously worked together during the Group B encounter between Angola and Zimbabwe, which was played at the Stade de Marrakech on Friday, 26 December, 2025.

Another Kenyan official, Dickens Mimisa, has also been active at the tournament.

He was part of the VAR team during the closely contested group stage match between South Africa and Egypt, a game that ended in a narrow 1-0 victory for the Pharaohs and proved decisive in determining the knockout stage qualification.

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Earlier in the competition, Kamaku also served as the fourth official during South Africa’s 2-1 win over Angola.

Kamaku has grown into one of Kenya’s most respected match officials on the international stage, with a career defined by steady progression and consistency at the highest level.

He joined the Kenyan Premier League refereeing ranks in 2013 and earned his FIFA badge in 2017, a milestone that opened the door to continental and global assignments.

Since then, Kamaku has officiated at multiple Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, including the 2019 edition in Egypt, the 2021 tournament in Cameroon and the 2023 finals in Cote d’Ivoire.

He returned for the 2025 tournament in Morocco, where he has already taken charge of high-profile group stage fixtures such as Angola versus Zimbabwe, working alongside Cheruiyot and Yiembe.

Beyond AFCON, Kamaku has represented Kenyan refereeing at the 2019 FIFA Under 17 World Cup in Brazil, while also handling numerous CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup matches, as well as FIFA World Cup qualifying fixtures, cementing his reputation as a trusted official at elite level.

Cheruiyot has built an equally impressive résumé since gaining FIFA accreditation in 2013.

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Over the years, he has featured at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025, while also earning selection for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and several FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Cheruiyot has also been entrusted with major continental club assignments, including CAF Champions League fixtures, and was part of the officiating team during the 2025 CAF Champions League semi-final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly.

Mimisa also continues to rise rapidly through the refereeing ranks.

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After earning his FIFA listing in 2023, he was named Male Referee of the Year at the 2023 FKF Awards in recognition of his strong performances both domestically and internationally.

He has since officiated at CAF competitions including the AFCON Under 20 Championship and served as a centre referee at the 2024 African Nations Championship, co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.