Kenya is at a risk of being denied the hosting rights on CHAN in January 2018, but Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nicholas Kithuke Mwendwa has expressed optimism in Nairobi on Thursday evening.
Speaking at Nyayo National Stadium during the AFC Leopards vs Tusker FC league match, the country’s football don did not want to give up on hosting the continental showpiece.
“We have been put on tight ropes by CAF. A four man delegation will be here between 7th and 12th August to asses our situation.
All the inspectors want to see is substantive work going on in terms of development of our venues.
Sports Kenya has already given out the tenders to contractors who will start work as soon as next week on our venues,” Mwendwa cleared the air and also added that the country has five venues for matches, and eleven training pitches already available.
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Two weeks ago FKF was given an ultimatum by Africa’s football governing body CAF in regards to the slow process of getting the necessary infrastructure ready.
“I know we are at risk and we have to show this by 7th of next month, but also CAF needs a back-up plan of which I haven’t seen from their side, in case we fail.
All we need is to do our part and do it real quick, if not then I rest my case and accept that this opportunity will go elsewhere,” a dejected Mwendwa lamented.
Mwendwa also pointed out the blame finger towards the government and accused its officials for not cooperating with the process of developing and refurbishing the necessary infrastructure.
“It is very frustrating to see what is happening in other countries and compare it with Kenya. Our procurement processes and budgeting take months if not years before approval in order to get a project done. We are afraid that Morocco might grab this from us, but look at them?
They already have over 50 quality stadiums ready to host high profile football matches and about 800 other football training facilities across that desert.
This is a country well aware of the value of football unlike us who politic a lot for the most part,” said Mwendwa and added that the North Africans are ready to host even a world cup if opportunity strikes.
Kenya is struggling to get five venues ready in about five months before January 2018.
Machakos Stadium in Machakos County, Kinoru Stadium in Meru County, Kasarani and Nyayo Stadiums in Nairobi County and the ten thousand capacity, Kipchoge Keino in Eldoret will be the venues where Africa’s home based football talents will square it out for the top prize.
Two training pitches nearby have been assigned to each stadium.
The FKF president also emphasised the need of quality to the eleven training pitches that will serve the national teams that will visit Kenya. 16 nations have qualified for this 2018 January event and are hopeful to set foot in Kenya if the country will host the tourney.
Congo Brazzaville, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Cameroun, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Namibia and Guinea are ready to book their flight tickets to Nairobi incase their itineraries don’t change.
However, African football enthusiasts will miss defending champions, Florent Ibenge’s the Leopards from Congo. They will have nothing to defend as the sharp axe of qualification made sure that their football prowess will not be confirmed.
