Kenya’s 2027 AFCON checklist

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Patrice Motsepe, president of the African Confederation of Football, announces the host countries for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations during a ceremony held in Cairo, Egypt on September 27, 2023. PHOTO | KHALED DESOUKI | AFP

When the Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Patrice Motsepe, announced that the East Africa Pamoja Bid had been awarded the hosting rights for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, sports enthusiasts were all smiles. Well, it was a regional elation, going by the fact that it was a joint bid, stretching to Tanzania and Uganda too! For once, it made me forget about the constant wrangles within the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), which have always given me a little bit of a scare when Kenya is mentioned on the international scene in sports.

There is a chance for Kenya to get it right.

History has it that Kenya has participated in six African Cup of Nations, the oldest being in 1972 and the most recent being in 2019, which took place in Egypt. Sadly, in all six appearances, Kenya has never advanced beyond the group stage! This clearly portrays how lame we have been as a country in this competition, and that something must be wrong somewhere. Should we sit and wait for the same fate, being among the hosting nations? I think here, we are on the same page; we all want what is best for our country. The best here means,  the trophy 'must' remain at home! On the contrary, it’s still possible for us to be eliminated early, if some of the key areas in relation to this competition, remain as they are currently, come 2027.

A ceasefire among various squabbling federations

It’s barely two months since CAF announced the co-hosting rights awarded to Kenya, but we are back on the same path! Wrangles, wrangles, wrangles. Why is it so hard in Kenya, to streamline and align leadership at the national and county levels? Same issues: embezzlement and mismanagement of funds; leaders failing to appear whenever summoned for accountability; pointing fingers, just to mention a few. Currently, there is a push and pull between the Football Federation of Kenya and the County Football Associations (CFAs). A mayhem that has even caught the attention of the Senate, that is willing to mediate this soaring stalemate.

The senate agreeing to end quarrels between the various federations is well-received news; however, is it really necessary? Are our leaders so incompetent that they can’t work in harmony from the word go? Must they be mediated upon for them to realize what is required of them? I doubt not; mediation is a process—a hectic and wearisome process, that requires time and resources. Why should the scarce resources be spent on listening to leaders, who know what they are supposed to do? Gosh! Let’s save this money. I am convinced that this money can be put to proper use, other than paying for allowances on sessions dealing with issues that shouldn’t even be there.

World-class stadiums

CAF is very clear and categorical, when it comes to matters of stadiums and the state of those stadiums. For example, if a nation is to host a major tournament like the AFCON, then the said nation should at least have six well-built stadiums of high capacity. We are lucky enough to be co-hosting, so at least three can do it. Nevertheless, this is not an excuse. Looking at our current three projected stadiums, according to the cabinet secretary for sports, Ababu Namwamba, a lot needs to be done. Just to remind you, the three stadiums are Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, Kasarani in Nairobi, Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, and Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret.

I don’t dispute the fact that renovations of the preceding stadiums are said to have commenced. Although, my question is, how will these renovations be effective, in meeting the intended state by CAF, when some of them, still carry on with normal activities as usual? My hunch is, let’s reduce some of the activities, if some meaningful work is to be done on these stadiums. We can as well fully close them, until renovations are fully done! The biggest mistake we can make, is to think that we have time! Hence, continue revamping at a tortoise pace.

Expeditious transport networks

Nowadays, heading to work from home and vice versa has become an uphill task. Congestion has become rampant to the extent that, if you leave home for work an hour to your intended time, you are likely to brush shoulders with your boss. Traffic has become so hectic, that you can sometimes be tempted to alight a bus, for instance, and just stroll to work. The once highly priced cars, are no longer a luxury in Kenya. A good number of Kenyans own one. Not to mention the numerous motorbikes! Surprisingly, even the Nairobi Expressway that was intended to ease traffic jam, has become overwhelmed by congestion. These are early signs that diversification of the transport networks, especially the addition of extra lanes, should start as soon as possible. I don’t think it will be a good picture for us as a country, to be ridiculed over things we can start streamlining as early as now.

In summary, the 2027 AFCON tournament, presents immense opportunities for Kenya. Opportunities ranging from tourism and hospitality sector to sports and culture sectors, among many others. This is a golden moment for Kenya to realize expansive economical growth across various sectors. However, will we equip ourselves fully as a nation to reap maximum benefits? Of course, we can. If the contrary happens and we end up reaping little, we will only have ourselves to blame, for sowing little!
 
 
 



Media Personality| Freelance Broadcast and Multimedia Journalist| Social Media Manager| Blogger| Lover of Philosophy.

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