Chan intrigues: How Kenya shot itself in the foot

Sports CS Kipchumba Murkomen and other government officials when he toured Kasarani stadium on November 28, 2024. The facility is currently under renovation ahead of the 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) in February 2025. [Ministry of Sports]

For the umpteenth time, Kenya has found itself in an awkward position as it races against time to host the 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) slated for February 1-28, next year.

There was joy and celebration when Kenya was awarded the right to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) together with Uganda and Tanzania.

But 15 months down the line, it appears to be the same old situation for the country in terms of preparedness ahead of the event that is set to serve as a dry run for the prestigious tournament to be co-hosted by the three East African countries. The trio set aside an estimated budget of Sh12 billion for the major tournament.

With less than 20 days to the deadline (December 31) given by the Confederation of African Football (Caf), the government is trying everything possible to salvage the situation.

But evidently, time is not on their side if the current state of Kenya’s two largest sporting facilities, Nyayo (30,000 capacity) and Kasarani (60,000 capacity) stadiums, is anything to go by.

The duo, together with the earmarked training grounds, Kasarani Annex, Ulinzi Sports Complex and Police Sacco, are all behind schedule. For the venues to be ready for Chan, they need almost Sh3 billion.

However, Nyayo Stadium stands a chance to host the tournament as they only need to fix lighting, grass and painting for now.

But the irony of it all is that while Kenya is known globally for its sporting prowess, there are no proper stadiums for athletes to train or even stage international events.

Unending renovations

Karasani Stadium has been shut down for renovations since December 2023, while Nyayo Stadium has been opening doors once in a while for a few sporting events as they continue upgrading it with countless visits from government officials.

The completion timelines of the unending renovations of the two historic venues which seem to have been turned into cash cows remain complex. On the other hand, the new 60,000-seater Talanta Sports City stadium whose construction started in March 2024 is set to be completed in December 2025.

And to the concerned authorities, the upcoming tournament now looks like an emergency. Save for the unaccounted monies, these self-inflicted woes have had some implications on the national team, Harambee Stars’ performance in international matches. They were forced to host all their home matches in the 2025 Afcon and 2026 World Cup qualifiers on foreign soil.

With no home advantage and twelfth man’s support, the results have been quite unforgiving leading to Harambee Stars’ ignominious exit from next year’s continental showpiece in Morocco.

Unlike Kenya, their co-hosts Uganda and Tanzania appear to be more than ready for next year’s tournament, involving local-based players as both Namboole and Benjamin Mkapa stadiums have both gotten a clean bill of health from the continental body.

Interestingly, both Uganda Cranes and Taifa Stars have qualified for the 2025 Afcon thanks to their investment in infrastructure. But this is not the first time Kenya has found itself in such a situation. In 1996, the country lost the hosting rights of the Afcon to South Africa before being stripped of the hosting rights of the 2018 Chan due to a lack of standardised facilities as the competition went to Morocco.

Social media was abuzz a few days ago with news that Kenya had lost the hosting rights to Rwanda. But it appears all efforts have now been put in place to ensure the facilities are first ready for Chan before switching focus to Afcon.

Salvaging situation

And in response, Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen accompanied by Caf host country manager Kabelo Bosilong during the unveiling ceremony of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) on Tuesday, put on a brave face to assure Kenyans that the tournament is here to stay.

Some of the key things to be addressed ahead of the Caf officials’ inspection tour at Kasarani and Nyayo on January 5, 2025, include playing surface, dressing rooms, official rooms, media centre, drainage system, electronic ticketing, VAR technology and lights.

“We are giving you the authority to do everything in your power to deliver a successful competition, efficiently and on budget. Our immediate assignment is on the sports infrastructure and this, I want to reassure the country that we are doing everything humanly possible to deliver quality infrastructure in time for Chan and Afcon,” Murkomen said.

“I know very many people are very concerned about February. I’m also concerned, and it’s the right thing to be concerned. We had a meeting with the contractors, and we are relying on their word in terms of their commitment that we would be on time. We know the challenges they have and we are facilitating the areas that they have challenges, and we appreciate the support that Caf have given us and the pressure they have put on us, we will continue being on this together to the end. Kenyans will not forgive us if we don’t do a good job because they want to see their English Premier League stars here in 2027.”

Murkomen’s sentiments were echoed by Bosilong, who said that the continental body will give Kenya all the support it needs as the region gears towards staging a historic tournament.

“We have been hearing a lot on social media for the past few days about where this tournament might end up. But I want to assure everyone that it’s Caf’s commitment to make sure that this tournament will take place in the countries that were intended to take place. Therefore, we are here to work hard and make sure that happens,” Bosilong said.

“We know and see the impact that tournaments have on the continent. For example, the World Cup coming to South Africa was a major boost for our economy and social change. So, I’m hoping that this tournament can also be used as a big change not only on the football field but throughout the country. Kenya and the region can utilise these two tournaments to impact major change in the country and be left with beautiful infrastructure that can be used for generations to come.”

While outspoken former Cecafa Secretary General Nicholas Musonye, who is the LOC chairperson, said they will do everything possible to save Kenya’s blushes, he was brutally honest with the current situation of the earmarked facilities.

“I have gone through Kasarani, Nyayo, Ulinzi and Police Sacco, and to be honest, we are behind schedule. But we will do all we can to ensure we deliver Chan and a better Afcon because after Chan we will have two years to do a better job for Afcon,” said Musonye who has served in various Afcon tournament committees. Newly elected FKF president and LOC deputy chairperson Hussein Mohammed feels his team will make the impossible possible.

“The infrastructure we are laying today will be beneficial for years to come. I want to assure all Kenyans that we are up to the task, give us some time. I’m urging for a little bit of patience, we don’t have a silver bullet, but eventually, we will get there,” said Mohammed.

Sad truth

But for former Kenyan international Boniface Ambani, the government should stop selling false hopes to Kenyans and tell them the truth. According to Ambani, a proper playing surface needs at least six months for it to be ready for a tournament of Chan calibre. “I’m 100 per cent sure we are not going to host Chan, and that is a fact. Let’s be sincere to each other, unless we are given another grace period, there is no way we will be ready to host it. It takes almost six months for the new playing surface to be ready for such tournaments. The most important thing is for the concerned authorities to take responsibility and tell Kenyans the truth rather than to lie to them,” Ambani told Standard Sports.

The former AFC Leopards and Yanga SC striker said he is not surprised with what is happening now as he recalled how he advised the former Sports Cabinet Secretary to focus on improving the facilities first before implementing the Talanta Hela tournament.

Ambani was part of the Sports Technical Committee formed by Namwamba in 2023 before he disbanded it due to a court decision. “When I was appointed to the committee, I advised former Sports CS (Ababu) to renovate the likes of Kasarani, Nyayo, Bukhungu and Kip Keino stadiums first then go for talent. But instead, he did the opposite. How can you go for talent without facilities?” said Ambani.

“Now we have formed a committee, but the biggest question is, are we going to import a stadium to host Chan? With what has been happening, having a stadium ready for Chan in less than a month is impossible, maybe for Afcon it is workable. The other things like security, hotels and transport might be ready but the ultimate facility is the stadium. Instead of apologising to Kenyans for letting them down,