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Nairobi abuzz as 2024 Chan Group A matches kick off
Harambee Stars fans inside Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 3, 2025, as they wait for kick-off of their Group 'A' match of the 2025 African Nations Championships against DR Congo.
Nairobi was palpable with the excitement of the country hosting the 2024 Africa Nations Championships (Chan) despite maintaining the aura of its calm and easy Sunday mornings.
Harambee Stars fans thronged the CBD in small numbers with some picketing at street corners, perhaps planning their travel to the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, where Harambee Stars will open their Chan 2024 campaign against DR Congo at 3 pm.
Kenya is co-hosting Chan 2024 with Tanzania and Uganda. The tournament started on Saturday with Tanzania claiming a 2-0 victory over Burkina Faso in the opening match. The competition will end on August 30 with Kenya hosting the final.
DR Congo fans were not left behind in the early morning buzz. A group of fans were spotted at the junction of Kenyatta Avenue and Kimathi Street dressed in the colours of their national team.
At Kasarani, the roads leading to the stadium entrance were crowded with groups of eager fans hoping to get into the stadium.
The police were strategically deployed along Thika Road in large numbers to maintain law and order.
DR Congo fans inside Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 3, 2025, as they wait for kick-off of their Group 'A' match of the 2025 African Nations Championships against Harambee Stars.
In the stadium, organisers were in a last-minute rush to put finishing touches to the media centre and lay an orange carpet around the pitch.
Fans started entering the stadium minutes after midday. They surfaced into the terraces while singing, dancing, and waving flags.
The Congolese fans, dressed in national team colours, also made their presence felt. They colonised a section of the stadium and did not waste time breaking into song and dance.
Popular Kenyan football fan Oreng Bonny mingled with Congolese fans, engaging them in playful banter. They posed for photos and videos while at it, with Bonny teasing the Congolese that they only know how to sing and dance, while the Congolese offered a defiant response about their team winning today.
Harambee Stars fans inside Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 3, 2025, as they wait for kick-off of their Group 'A' match of the 2025 African Nations Championships against DR Congo.
Bonny said Kenya hosting Chan is "exciting" and wished the team success.
One of the Congolese fans he bantered with, Stelair Alain, expressed his joy at getting to watch the Leopards play in Nairobi.
Alain is a student at Mount Kenya University and described the feeling of watching DR Congo play in a foreign land as "special".
Another Congolese fan, Beltshika Ilenda Kiniaka, offered to express excitement with a joyful dance and song.
Kiniaka has lived in Kenya for many years and speaks good Sheng'. "We will win 3-0, even 4-0 because we can do it," he declared.
Harambee Stars players entered the pitch at 1:30 pm clad in suits. A roar from the crowd welcomed them. They walked around the pitch to soak in the moment while appreciating fans and taking photos and videos for their memories.
At around 2:10pm they came out for their warm-up and were greeted with more roars.
Despite tickets for the match being sold out on Sunday last week, the attendance indicated otherwise. A lot of sections in the stadium had empty seats, particularly the upper tier.
