Kenya will host Chan, assures Kaberia

Former Sports Principal Secretary Peter Kaberia speaks during a press briefing at his Kencom House office in Nairobi.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • The Sports Ministry unveiled a one year partnership with Kenya Airways that makes the national airline the official carrier of all national sports teams.
  • The year-long deal is reportedly worth Sh4 billion.

The Government on Thursday insisted that the country will host the African Nations Championship (Chan) despite growing fears that the Confederation of African Football (Caf) may take the hosting rights away from the country.

Sports Principal Secretary Peter Kaberia allayed fears that Caf was set to take the tournament to another country at his Kencom House office, while presiding over a function where the Sports Ministry unveiled a one year partnership with Kenya Airways that makes the national airline the official carrier of all national sports teams.

The year-long deal is reportedly worth Sh4 billion.

Kaberia said Caf had so far given a thumbs up to the ongoing preparations ahead of the three-week football tournament consisting locally based footballers.

The tournament, now in its fifth edition, will kick off on January 12 even though none of the five stadiums earmarked to host the games meets the required threshold set by the tournament organisers.

"They (Caf) recently sent someone here to speak to us about our current political situation," stated Kaberia.

He wanted to understand what the Supreme Court ruling meant and if the electoral processes will in any way affect our preps and the games. They now are very satisfied and have soon promised to send an inspection team."

Caf recently cancelled an inspection visit by its officials to the country, and instead dispatched its second vice president Constant Omari Selemani to the country for talks with Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario and Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa.

The move fuelled speculation about Kenya's chances of hosting the bi-annual football bonanza.