Caf concerned over Kenya’s slow progress
FKF President Nick Mwendwa addressing a press conference on Club Licensing on January 9, 2017 at Kandanda House. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Speculation rife that Africa’s second-tier tournament’s hosting rights could be stripped
- The federation’s chief executive officer, Robert Muthomi, on Wednesday admitted they were in an awkward position.
- Ethiopia have been touted as possible replacements to host the tournament.
The fate of next year’s African Nations Championship (Chan) hangs in the balance as Kenya continue to lag behind on preparations to hosting the continent’s second-tier football competition.
The Confederation of Africa Football (Caf) is fast running out of patience and has now asked Football Kenya Federation to show proof of government support as well as “concrete progress on stadiums and other infrastructural developments” by next Friday.
Caf secretary general Hicham El Amrani wrote to the FKF on Tuesday confirming another stadium inspection next month and sought to have the federation gazette members of the tournament’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) by then.
FKF have openly expressed their dissatisfaction with the speed with which the government is moving, saying that the fear of losing the hosting rights is now real.
They have subsequently written to the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts seeking to expedite the required guarantees.
The federation’s chief executive officer, Robert Muthomi, on Wednesday admitted they were in an awkward position.
“We are frustrated, to be honest. We have had several correspondences with the ministry," said Muthomi.
“We have written a number of letters and called the office several times but even the most basic things remain undone."
“We sent out the names of the members appointed for the LOC secretariat long ago but until now, they are yet to be gazetted."
“The stadium works have also not started and that puts us at a bad position because we may now be forced to start hurrying things up at the last moment,” he said.
Muthomi, however, remains positive that Kenya can meet all the necessary requirements before the February 3 Caf deadline.
The Safaricom Stadium at the Moi International Sports centre, Kasarani, Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium, Kipchoge Keino in Eldoret and Mbaraki Stadium in Mombasa had been earmarked as venues for the tournament. But even the Kasarani venue, which houses Kenya’s biggest stadium, still, needs tremendous improvement on its playing surface.
It now remains to be seen whether the government will fast track its commitment before the Caf deadline, or watch as the country loses the CHAN hosting rights.
Ethiopia have been touted as possible replacements to host the tournament.
