CHAN 2024: How politicians hijacked ticketing, locking out genuine fans

President William Ruto and ODM Leader Raila Odinga at Kasarani Stadium to support the national team, Harambee Stars. [Courtesy, PCS] The much-anticipated 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) finally landed on Kenyan soil, a proud milestone for a nation hosting the 19-country tournament for the very first time. But instead of rallying the country around football, the tournament risks going down as one of the biggest sporting scandals in Kenya's history. A shocking high-level ticketing scam has emerged, exposing a disturbing mix of political greed and blatant violations of the rules of the beautiful game. Despite online portals indicating that tickets were "sold out," large sections of the 48,000-capacity Moi Sports Centre Kasarani Stadium remained conspicuously empty, with many fans locked out of the ticketing system. At the center of the controversy are allegations that influential figures within Kenya's political elite colluded to bulk-buy match tickets, ultimately locking out ordinary fans and undermining the spirit of fair play. "Word had spread, especially on social media, that some fans planned to use the CHAN stage to chant anti-government slogans in front of cameras broadcasting the event globally. Measures had to be taken," a source familiar with the scheme told The Standard. The opening match was attended by President William Ruto, Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. In recent weeks, Kenya has seen a surge in anti-government protests, mainly driven by the Gen Z movement, over the high cost of living and bad governance, demonstrations that have resulted in several deaths. FIFA, the global body that governs football, has strict regulations against bulk ticket purchases for its tournaments. These rules are intended to prevent hoarding, scalping and black market reselling and to ensure fairness to fans. The latest ticketing scandal now threatens to drag in CAF, which oversees CHAN, and raises serious concerns about the tournament's integrity, leaving a section of Kenyan football fans angry and disillusioned. The Standard contacted CAF officials for comment, but they had not responded to our inquiries by the time of going to press. "Real fans tulifungiwa nje, wanasiasa walinunua tickets zote wakapea watu wao, sisi tuko nje (real fans were denied the chance to buy tickets; politicians bought all the tickets and distributed them to their people, we've been left out in the cold)," lamented a soccer fanatic outside Kasarani Stadium. Leaked internal communications reveal that law enforcement agencies were quietly instructed to mobilise personnel to attend CHAN matches. Some tickets were reportedly reserved for political supporters from selected Nairobi estates. "In Kibera, we saw ten buses from a known sacco. Dozens of youths boarded them for Kasarani. Their tickets had been bought to go and cheer the team, and we know which politicians were behind it," said Caleb Oduor, a Kibera resident. The Standard has also seen a circular from prison headquarters, referencing instructions from the State Department for Internal Security. It directed officers to submit names of those interested in attending CHAN events. The memo read in part: "Please inform all staff in sports and other staff members under your command interested in attending the CHAN events to submit their names..." The ticketing scandal erupted into chaos on opening day when angry fans, locked out due to unavailable tickets, overpowered police and stewards, broke through barriers and stormed into the stadium to watch Kenya's Harambee Stars face off against DR Congo. An investigation by The Standard points to what appears to be a coordinated scheme involving politicians and certain government departments, who allegedly pre-booked large batches of tickets, leaving genuine football fans stranded. An X account under the name Propesa TV posted in protest: "Government imenunulia fans tickets za CHAN to counter 'One Term' movement (the government has bought tickets to counter the one-term movement)." A South C politician proudly posted a batch of CHAN 2024 tickets online, claiming he had bought them for supporters. "Team South C, we are coming to Kasarani! We are ready to support Harambee Stars. Three hundred of us are coming!" he declared. Korogocho MCA Absalom Odhiambo, alias Matakwei, linked to recent city protests, was also photographed outside City Hall distributing free tickets. In a video, he is heard saying, "I have more than 100 tickets. If you want to be at Kasarani, come find me." When the CHAN 2024 ticketing system was launched, organizers introduced a digital platform to curb irregularities. In Kenya, that platform was (http://chan.mookh.com), the official site powered by private vendor Mookh Africa and backed by CAF. Fans were required to visit the portal, select fixtures, choose a seat category, Terrace, VIP, or VVIP, and pay via M-PESA or card. A digital ticket was then issued via SMS or email. Despite the seemingly watertight system, loopholes allowed individuals to bulk-buy tickets. Critically, no limit was placed on how many tickets one could purchase per account, opening the door to digital hoarding and political gatekeeping. Mookh Africa did not respond to our queries on how the system may have been misused.CHAN, a biennial tournament, features national squads drawn solely from domestic leagues. "It's hard to imagine someone buying hundreds of tickets without triggering an alert. Why allow that? We must separate politics from football," said a football administrator, who requested anonymity. FKF President Hussein Mohammed distanced the federation from ticketing, referring inquiries to CAF. Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka reacting to the chaos said: "We knew they wanted a friendly crowd today. They blocked roads to keep ordinary Kenyans out. Nothing is working in this administration, and frustration is growing among citizens." Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna echoed the sentiment: "They bought all the tickets to silence chants of 'One Term'. But we'll keep singing it, wherever we are." Kenya beat Dr Congo 1-0.

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