Four Kenyan referees have been selected to officiate at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled to take place in Morocco.
The referees are also set to participate in a pre-tournament preparation course at a high-level training camp in Cairo from November 8 to 13.
Among the referees selected for the tournament is Peter Kamaku Waweru, who will serve as the center referee, while Dickens Mimisa will act as one of the Video Assistant Referees (VAR).
Other Kenyan referees selected to officiate the tournament include Gilbert Cheruiyot and Stephen Yiembe, who will serve as assistant referees.
The AFCON tournament is scheduled to kick off on December 21, 2025, and run through January 18, 2026.
Profile of Kenyan Referees Selected to Officiate AFCON 2025
Peter Kamaku Waweru
Dr. Peter Kamaku Waweru is a distinguished Kenyan football referee, academic, and researcher with a PhD in Pure Mathematics from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). He has been officiating matches in the Kenyan Premier League since 2013 and became a FIFA-listed referee in 2017.
Waweru holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. He earned a Master of Science degree in Pure Mathematics from JKUAT, followed by a PhD in the Same Field in 2013, also from JKUAT.
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Additionally, Dr. Waweru holds a postgraduate diploma in Education Technology from the University of Cape Town.
He currently works as a lecturer at JKUAT, where he was previously employed as an academic teaching assistant and tutorial fellow.
Dr. Waweru has officiated in several major international tournaments, including:
- AFCON tournaments
- 2021 African Nations Championship (CHAN), where he officiated the final
- 2019 U-17 World Cup in Brazil
- CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup matches
Dickens Mimisa
Dickens Mimisa is a FIFA-accredited referee with a strong academic background in Civil Engineering, specializing in Structural and Highways Engineering from JKUAT. He was named Male Referee of the Year at the 2023 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Awards.
He has officiated in numerous international matches, including:
- CHAN 2024 (acting as VAR official)
- CAF Champions League: Djoliba vs. ASKO de Kara (September 14, 2024)
- CAF Confederation Cup: Egypt vs. Burkina Faso – Fourth Official (March 6, 2024)
- AFCON Qualifier: Comoros vs. Côte d’Ivoire – Fourth Official (March 28, 2023)
- CAF Champions League: Cotonsport vs. Al Ahly – Fourth Official (March 17, 2023)
- Friendly Matches: Zambia vs. Zimbabwe (March 23, 2024) and Kenya vs. South Sudan (March 13, 2021)
Stephen Yiembe
Stephen Yiembe is a Kenyan football official who primarily works as an assistant referee. He received his FIFA badge in 2018 and has since officiated numerous high-profile international tournaments.
Yiembe was selected as an assistant referee for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, representing the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) region. He officiated high-profile matches involving clubs like Real Madrid and Inter Milan during the tournament.
He has officiated in many continental tournaments, including:
- 2024 CAF Champions League Final (served as second assistant referee)
- 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)
- 2023 CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations Final
Yiembe is a graduate of Moi University.
Gilbert Cheruiyot
Gilbert Cheruiyot is a Kenyan FIFA-accredited assistant referee known for his extensive officiating career at national and international levels. His career in refereeing began while officiating village football tournaments in 2006.
His career in top-tier Kenyan football began in 2008, and in 2018, he was named the Most Improved Assistant Referee at the KPL Awards.
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Cheruiyot was appointed as an assistant referee for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile. He also officiated at the 2017 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations and was selected as a match official for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
He has officiated in multiple editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, including 2019, 2021, and 2023. Cheruiyot has been a regular assistant referee in the CAF Champions League since 2018, including officiating the final in June 2025.
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