Kenya has 28 days to get CHAN venues ready

Kenya has until December 31 to get ready to co-host the delayed 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) with neighbours Uganda and Tanzania, Confederation of African Football (CAF) inspectors who were in the country to assess stadiums last week have said.

Nineteen teams will feature in the competition scheduled for February 1 to 24 next year. Chan is a biennial football tournament reserved for local-based players.

Kenya is behind in terms of preparations to co-host the tournament, and CAF has said the country still has a lot of work to do to be ready.

Uganda and Tanzania each own one Fifa/Caf-approved stadium, while Kenya has none. Tanzania have been hosting international matches at the 60,000-seater Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, while Uganda have been playing at the 42,000-seater Mandela National Stadium in Kampala. Uganda and Tanzania have already formed their respective Local Organisation Committees (LOCs) for Chan, while Kenya has yet to establish its own.

CAF officials were on an inspection tour of Kenyafrom Wednesday till Saturday. The team had representatives from various departments of the continental football governing body such as marketing, communication, broadcast, competition, safety and security, medical, and protocol.

A source in the inspection team, who spoke in confidence for fear of victimisation, described the assessment as “thorough”, with CAF inspectors expressing doubt about the readiness of the 60,000-seater Moi International Sports Centre (MISC), Kasarani for the tournament within the set deadline. Kenya presented MISC Kasarani, and the 30,000-seater Nyayo National Stadium as the match venues for the tournament. Police Sacco Stadium, Ulinzi Sports Complex, MISC Annex, and Kenya Academy of Sports in Kasarani have been earmarked as training venues.

“Everyone is aware that we need to accelerate the work so that we don’t embarrass ourselves. Nyayo National Stadium is not as doubtful as Kasarani (MISC),” said the source.

Some of the areas of major concern at Kasarani Stadium, the source said, are the canopy and the sound system.

While the canopy is at 40 per cent complete, the progress on the sound system is 10 percent done. Work on the stadium’s lift is currently at 60 percent, and the installation of a new one is expected to bring it to full functionality.

The source said key areas like the arena, changing rooms, and ramps are 80 per cent complete.

“On average, the work at Kasarani is 71 percent complete. It needs to get to 100 percent by December 31,” said the source.

The major work to be undertaken at Nyayo National Stadium is installation of floodlights, which is currently underway. The moisture level on the pitch was also of concern to the inspectors.

Police Sacco Stadium and MISC Kasarani Annex require new changing rooms to get a clean bill of health as training venues.

Additionally, the pitch at Ulinzi Sports Complex requires an upgrade. Since December last year, MISC Kasarani has been undergoing major renovations in preparation for 2024 CHAN, and 2027 Africa Cup of Nations that Kenya will also co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.

The government has since pushed its re-opening from November to December. Nyayo was closed in August for renovation.

In a post on his X account of Thursday after inspecting the ongoing renovations at MISC, Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for the umpteenth time reiterated that the renovation of the facility will be completed within the set deadline. He said the contractor was now implementing a 24-hour work schedule.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and several hotels in Nairobi are among the other facilities that the Caf delegation inspected during the visit. For hotels, the source said they were “spoilt for choice.”

Caf requires that Chan and Afcon match venues be located near an airport and a level-five hospital. Additionally, the host cities should offer accommodation in either four-star or five-star hotels.

Kenya are yet to unveil their LOC for the upcoming Chan, with reports indicating that it has been delayed by some adjustments that are being made to it.

The three countries have agreed to establish their own LOCs. An overall steering committee that comprises selected members of each of the three LOCs will also be established.