FKF hopes to leverage the ample time to fine-tune the Harambee Stars quad as well as revisit previously rushed renovations work.
The president of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), Hussein Mohammed, has expressed his support for the rescheduling of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The tournament, originally slated for February, will now take place in August. Kenya, alongside Uganda and Tanzania, is set to co-host the highly anticipated football showcase, which promises to be a significant event for East Africa and the continent at large.
“I think August will be a wonderful, wonderful football festival, not only for Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, but for the entire continent of Africa,” Mohammed stated.
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The Kenyan government has been urged to take advantage of the CHAN postponement to fast-track renovation work at Kasarani and Nyayo.
“These are pretty exciting times. We now have ample time, so there’s no need to rush. We are going to organize an even better event, and it’s very exciting for the region, especially for Kenya.”
The FKF president emphasized the historical importance of the event, noting that Kenya has not hosted a football tournament of this magnitude previously.
“This time, we want to show the rest of the world that East Africa can put on an extravaganza. We can compete with anyone in the world and host one of the best events ever seen,” he added.
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Mulee has aimed a dig at the previous FKF management over their haphazard appointments of coaches under Nick Mwendwa’s stewardship, explaining why the new office should keep faith in the current technical bench headed by Francis Kimanzi.
In addition to focusing on CHAN 2024, Mohammed highlighted the region’s broader ambitions. “We will start by hosting CHAN in August, and after that, we’ll prepare ourselves for AFCON 2027,” he said, underlining Kenya’s long-term vision for football development ahead of another joint venture with Uganda and Tanzania in 2027 for AFCON.
Kenya plans to utilize the Nyayo Stadium, which has been approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and is undergoing final adjustments, along with the Kasarani Stadium, which is still under renovation.
Mohammed assured fans that preparations are on track. “We are working around the clock to make sure that all those involved in preparation don’t relent. The local organizing committee has shown that they are up to the task. We will up the ante.”
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Former Harambee Stars coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee believes Kenya’s Harambee Stars can replicate the side that reached the semi-finals of the 1987 All-African Games on home soil at the upcoming CHAN 2024 despite landing ‘group of death’.
The FKF also aims to leverage the additional time to strengthen the national team, Harambee Stars.
Currently led by interim coach Francis Kimanzi, the team recently participated in the Mapinduzi Cup, where they finished third in the group stage. Stars drew 1-1 with Burkina Faso, secured a 2-0 win against Tanzania, and lost 1-0 to Zanzibar, narrowly missing out on the final.
“I think, for us, it’s good enough that we just played in the Mapinduzi Cup the other day as a national team. This gives us time to put our technical bench in order and prepare our national team,” Mohammed remarked. “We cannot simply participate in CHAN; we have to put on a good show as a country.”
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Here is all you need to know about Morocco, DR Congo, Angola and Zambia who will face Kenya in Group A at CHAN 2024.
The federation plans to finalize the appointment of a permanent head coach and align the youth teams with the national football calendar.
“This additional time will allow us to sort out our technical bench, finalize our national coach, and align our youth teams to the calendar. The future looks great for Kenyan football,” he said.
The CHAN draw held on January 15 saw Kenya land in tough group with footballing giants Morocco, DRC, Angola and Zambia.
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Former Kenyan international James Situma beleives Kenya has the right ingredients to over tough group A in CHAN
“We are determined to leave no stone unturned, cover all our bases, and ensure everything is in place. We’ll put all our ducks in a row and make sure we don’t falter,” he concluded.
With the postponement providing extra preparation time, the CHAN 2024 tournament is poised to showcase East Africa’s growing potential as a hub for world-class football events with Kenya hoping to leverage the ample time to fine-tune adjustments.
