The Kenyan government has been urged to take advantage of the CHAN postponement to fast-track renovation work at Kasarani and Nyayo.
The Kenyan government has been called upon to take advantage of the postponemen of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) to complete critical renovations at the Kasarani and Nyayo Stadiums.
Originally scheduled for February, the tournament has been pushed to August following consultations with CAF’s Technical and Infrastructure experts. The delay aims to provide adequate time to meet international standards.
Kenya, one of the three co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, lags behind its neighbors in infrastructure readiness.
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Nyayo Stadium has received provisional approval for use despite ongoing dressing room and floodlight installations. Meanwhile, Kasarani Stadium remains under renovation and was unlikely to meet its earlier January 2024 deadline.
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Former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Head of Communications, Kenn Okaka, has urged the government to act swiftly.
Writing for Citizen Digital, Okaka highlighted Kenya’s history of inefficiency when not working under deadline pressure. He referred to the 2018 CHAN fiasco, where Kenya lost hosting rights due to substandard facilities, and warned against repeating the same mistakes.
“What is urgent is done hastily, and when the pressure has somewhat subsided, the authorities will quite often return to factory settings and say, ‘There is no hurry in Africa,’” Okaka observed.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has expressed confidence in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania hosting a successful tournament. However, Okaka emphasized the need for vigilance to ensure the Kenyan government remains focused and adequately funds the ongoing renovations.
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Sports Kenya has revealed when both Harambee Stars and FKFPL clubs will be allowed to use Nyayo and Kasarani Stadia once renovations are completed before commencement of CHAN 2024 in August.
Okaka stressed that Kenya’s position as the slowest in preparing stadiums demands urgent attention.
“The Kenyan government must be reminded to maintain the steady progress of construction works that had been activated and not slip back to sleep mode where contractors often leave site due to lack of funds,” he stated.
With Uganda and Tanzania far ahead in their preparations, Kenya risks regional embarrassment if the her stadia projects are not completed in time. The government is under pressure to fast-track its efforts and deliver the necessary infrastructure by August.
As the clock ticks, stakeholders hope the postponement serves as a wake-up call for Kenya to prioritize and expedite its stadium renovations, ensuring the country is ready to host a successful CHAN tournament.
