Why bid by Kenya to host continental games is uncertain
Kenya’s success in bidding for hosting rights for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will majorly depend on the availability of top-notch infrastructure such as stadiums.
October last year, a delegation of Confederation of African Football (CAF) officials inspected Kasarani Stadium, Kenya’s cathedral of Sports and Nyayo Stadium and released a disturbing report that the two dependable arenas were unfit to host international matches despite a splash of taxpayers’ money for their renovations.
With the talks of Kenya bidding for hosting rights for the 2027 AFCON games, either solely or jointly with other East African nations, gathering a speedy momentum, the country is once again listening to the noisy lyrics of unfit stadiums, the ghosts of missing the hosting rights for CHAN 2018 are coming to laugh at Kenya five years later.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba now says that the ministry is keen to revisit and review the works done by contractors at various stadiums in Kenya to ascertain what was paid for and why some jobs were not delivered to expectations.
Meaningful football
For Kenya to accomplish her dreams of hosting meaningful football events and even improve the standards of the local game, a lot needs to be done to the available stadiums.
For Nyayo Stadium to be readmitted for CAF competitions, floodlights must be fixed and done according to specifications. The playing surface also needs to be well-levelled.
The historic Nyayo has no media centre or media tribune. More so, the VVIP area should be up to standards.
Addressing the media after the Jamhuri Cup game on Monday, Namwamba noted that it was an embarrassment that Nyayo Stadium looks like a piece from the Museums of Kenya because of its sorry state for sporting events.
“It is actually a shame that when darkness descended on us we were basically groping in the dark even as we presented the prizes for Jamhuri Cup because Nyayo National stadium does not have floodlights. Someone was paid money to do floodlights and they have not done it. Actually, we should be getting some of these characters behind the jail,” said Ababu.
For the iconic, ageing Moi Kasarani International Stadium work needs to be done on the playing surface, since it is a hectic affair for players to use it, especially in wet conditions.
Also, the venue is required to have sits in all areas for spectators. For Kasarani to get a pass at CAF, dressing rooms should be redone to standards. It does not end there because floodlights also have to be refixed.
