2027 Afcon LOC changed as CAF deadline looms

The government has reconstituted the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) that will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, through the Kenya Gazette published on March 30.

While former Cecafa secretary general Nicholas Musonye and Football Kenya Federation President Hussein Mohammed have been retained as chairperson and vice-chairperson respectively of the multi-sectoral 38-member committee, Myke Rabar has been replaced as the head of the LOC secretariat by Antony Lung’aho.

Joining Hussein in the committee are all other members of the FKF National Executive Committee (NEC), excluding the federation’s CEO, Dennis Gicheru.

In the Gazette notice, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya stated that he made the changes “on account of complexities, logistics and magnitude of preparations required for successfully co-hosting the 36th edition of the Total Energies African Cup Nations.”

The previous LOC was established in December 2024 by then Sports SC by Kipchumba Murkomen, to steer preparations for the 2024 Chan and 2027 Afcon with Tanzania and Uganda.

At a press briefing held at Talanta Plaza on Tuesday last week, Mvurya had hinted that his ministry was in the process of making changes to the 2027 Afcon LOC to have individuals who will strive to work for Kenya and not profit themselves.

“You know, in some of these leadership responsibilities, there are people who find opportunities to drag actions and decisions. We want those who serve in the LOC to be people who will work for Kenya and demonstrate the spirit, diversity, unity, and passion of Kenya,” said Mvurya.

Afcon hosting rights

Mvurya on Tuesday also announced that the government had met the March 30 CAF deadline of paying the Afcon hosting rights fee of $30 million (about Sh3.9 billion).

The FKF NEC members in the altered LOC are FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga, Ahmed Qadar Mohamed Dabar (NEC North Eastern), Benard Korir Lagat (NEC Upper Rift), Caleb Amwayi Sikobe (NEC Western), Charles Njagi (NEC Eastern), Collins Opiyo Kalee (NEC Nyanza), Dan Shikanda (NEC Nairobi), Gabriel Mghendi (NEC Coast), Peter Kamau (NEC Lower Rift), Robert Macharia (NEC Central), Violet Kerubo Momanyi (NEC Woman Representative), Abdalla Yusuf (co-opted NEC member), and Ken Riungu (co-opted NEC member).

The previous LOC had only six FKF members.

Former FKF and Gor Mahia CEO Lordvick Aduda and former FKF NEC member for Eastern, Timothy Nabea, were also added to the list of prominent football administrators appointed to the committee.

The inclusion of Musonye, Mohammed, Mariga, FKF NEC members, Aduda, and Nabea means that football administrators now form the bulk of the new LOC, accounting for almost half of the membership.

Heads of several government agencies, councils, corporations, and departments have also been appointed. They include Director-General of Sports Kenya Timothy Kilimo, Director of Sports Evans Achoki, Kenya Academy of Sports CEO Doreen Odhiambo, and Kenya Tourism Board CEO June Chepkemei.

Others are, Sports Fund CEO Nuh Ibrahim, Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya Ag. CEO Peninah Wahome, Director General of Immigration Services Evelyn Cheluget, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation Managing Director Agnes Kalekye, Council of Governors CEO Mary Mwiti, Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner of Customs and Border Control Lilian Nyawanda, and Kenya Academy of Sports Director of Talent Development Douglas Ratemo.

Brigadier Titus Sokobe, who is the Kenya Defence Forces Chief of Infrastructure at the Defence Headquarters, is also in the committee.

Other members are Collins Were, Diana Injendi Manyengo, Juma Maulidi Wahoga, K.K. Mutai, Miriam Chepkoech, Osman Abdi, Rebecca Natabo Ekwam, Rodgers Chimega, and Thomas Karugu.

Rabar, a Nairobi-based businessman, was replaced by Lung’aho, a business leader and strategist, who headed the Events Operations sub-committee of the previous LOC.

No replacement was named for Rabar’s former deputy, ex-FKF CEO Patrick Korir, who was not retained.

Veteran sports journalist Elias Makori, who headed Media Operations in the previous committee, was also not retained.

Other committee members who were replaced are former Harambee Stars coach Jacob “Ghost” Mulee and former Harambee Starlets captain Terry Ouko.

Also removed were Dennis Kinyua, Ivy Kittony, Jack Mukhongo Munialo, Jimmy Lorot Lokolong, Lorna Misoi, Natasha Nyakundi, and Nicole Mwende.

The changes come at a time when Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are racing against time to meet CAF's stringent conditions for the tournament to be held.

A CAF inspection report recently said that Kenya was lagging behind in stadium safety and security requirements amongst other issues.

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