Kenya is set to co-host the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) alongside Tanzania and Uganda in February, starting from
February 1, to 28, 2025.
Ahead of the competition, the Kenyan government closed both Moi International Sports Center, Kasarani and Nyayo National Stadium to undergo major renovations aimed at bringing the stadiums to CAF standards.
However, with slightly over 20 days to the start of the competition, contractors at the facilities are still rushing against time to make the stadiums ready, following the lapse of the CAF inspection deadline which passed on December 31 2024.
Photos seen by Kenya Online News on the ongoing works at Kasarani paint a grin picture. Works on the terraces are still ongoing as chairs are yet to be fixed all around the stadium as is required by CAF.
One of the other areas that CAF had instructed the country to work on was a canopy around the whole stadium. This too is work in progress. The grass has been planted and growing with the hope that the surface will be playable by the time CHAN starts.
In a past interview, former Sporrs Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen noted that the canopy would only be put in the VIP area with the rest of the works concluded after the tournament.
At Nyayo, the visible work done is the replacement of floodlights and replanting of new grass, for the umpteenth time, which is done at snail speed.
Back to Kasarani, welders can also be seen in some photos undertaking fabrication works at the facility in a last-minute rush to impress the CAF inspection team who are already in the country to carry out the last inspection.
Semi-permanent structures erected on the now visibly worn tartan track can also be seen indicating ongoing construction.
Murkomen took a tour of the facilities as part of the official handing over to the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya who joins the sports docket from the Ministry in Industrialization, Trade and Industry.
Unlike Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania who will co-host the tournament have stadia that have already been approved by CAF.
