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.
Group stage
| 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 |
