Chan 2018: Is Kenya shifting goalposts?

Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa in deep thought at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret during an inspection tour by Confederation of African Football officials on September 15, 2017. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • With chances of hosting tournament hanging by a thread, Uasin Gishu offers fresh assurances.
  • The current renovations at Kipchoge Keino are aimed at providing a facelift to VIP pavilion, terraces, changing rooms and the VIP Parking.
  • The facility will also have two giant TV screens and a public address system fitted.

The County Government of Uasin Gishu has undertaken to fast-track the Sh330 million worth of renovations at the Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret in readiness for next year’s Africa Nations Championship (Chan).

The County’s Sports, Youth Affairs, Education and Culture Executive Member Enock Muigei made this commitment yesterday while accompanying the Confederation of African Football (Caf) officials on an inspection tour of the stadium.

“Our contractor experienced challenges accessing water and electricity earlier on, but that has been sorted. We will give them all the support, the deputy governor has been making daily visits here to oversee construction works,” Muigei said.

Sports Kenya have pumped in Sh230 million towards the renovation while the Uasin Gishu government is putting in the rest.

Muigei was responding to a warning from Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa, who stated the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos could replace Kipchoge in the event the venue is not completed by December 1.

This 16-nation tournament, which will run for three weeks, is slated to kick off on January 12.

“Of all the stadiums earmarked to host the (Chan) games, Kipchoge is way behind schedule,” said Mwendwa.

“I really want to urge the two contractors to speed up their work so that we can have the facility ready by December 1. Caf will not allow any works after that date.”

“If the stadium is not ready by then, we will have to use the one in Machakos which will be unfortunate because the people in Eldoret love sports.”

FACELIFT

The current renovations at Kipchoge Keino are aimed at providing a facelift to VIP pavilion, terraces, changing rooms and the VIP Parking.

The facility will also have two giant TV screens and a public address system fitted.

Besides Kipchoge, Caf officials — led by second vice president Omari Selmani — are also primed to inspect the Kinoru Stadium in Meru, Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos, plus the Nyayo and MISC, Kasarani stadiums in Nairobi.