With the draw for the delayed 2024 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) set for Wednesday night at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Kenya faces a tight timeline to ensure readiness as a co-host of the tournament.
Kenya will co-host the continental biennial championship alongside neighbours Uganda and Tanzania from February 1 to 28.
The designated venues include Nyayo National Stadium and Kasarani in Kenya, while Uganda and Tanzania will utilise the 60,000-capacity Namboole Stadium in Kampala and Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, both of which have been approved by CAF inspectors.
Nation Sport assess Kenya’s preparedness with less than three weeks to Africa’s second premier football competition.
Yesterday, Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman Nicholas Musonye said that by the end of next week, Kasarani, which has been undergoing construction, will be ready to host the tournament.
He added that Nyayo National Stadium, which has a capacity of 30,000, is 80 per cent complete and will also meet the requirements set out by CAF.
On the playing surface, Musonye said the grass at both Kasarani and Nyayo is okay and has been approved by CAF officials, who have been in the country assessing the level of preparations.
In October 2024, CAF raised concerns over the grass at Kasarani due to its quality and suitability. Musonye said the playing surface is now ready at both Nyayo and Kasarani and the grass is well maintained.
Caf said that a world-class media centre should be available at both venues, and Musonye revealed that the media tribune is already in place. At Kasarani, the media tribune will be ready next week.
For Live broadcast, Nyayo will be the command post and CAF are expected to start fixing their equipment at the venue this week.
CAF also has set a requirement for hosting nations to have match venues with high intensity flood lights and stand in generators so that in case of loss of power, the ongoing activities are not interrupted.
“As on Tuesday (today) Nyayo will have flood lights in place while at Kasarani, the process of setting them up is ongoing and that is one of the areas we have no worry about,” he said as he assured of availability of backup generators.
Other requirements include an emergency evacuation, standard modern dressing room and entry player tunnels.
“Dressing rooms are complete at Nyayo and Kasarani and they are first class dressing rooms. The player’s tunnels are also ready at both venues.
Segmentation of VVIP and VIP, terraces, anti-doping rooms, fully fledged emergency medical rooms are some of the areas the chairman said have been completed.
“Fridges are already in place and we are waiting to start stocking the medicine,” said Musonye.
On the training grounds, the grass at Kirigiti Stadium in Kiambu County is expected to have grown within the next two weeks.
Lower Kasarani Annex and Upper Kasarani Annex are also set to be fully ready before the commencement of the tournament.
