The 1978 CECAFA Cup was the 6th edition of the tournament. It was held in Malawi, and was won by the hosts. The matches were played between November 1 and 19.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Malawi |
| Dates | November 1–19 |
| Teams | 5 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Malawi (1st title) |
| Runners-up |  Zambia |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 14 |
| Goals scored | 45 (3.21 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Godfrey Chitalu (11 goals) |
Group stage edit
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zambia
|
6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 3 | +13 |
| Malawi
|
6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 |
 Uganda
|
5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 |
 Kenya
|
2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 11 | –10 |
 Somalia
|
1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10 | –7 |
