Favourites Morocco pulled out of the last competition in Algeria in February 2023, but have returned with one of the tournament's strongest teams, featuring six players from the winning CAF Confederation Cup -- including Olympian goalkeeper Rachid Ghanimi.
The two-time champions have been drawn in Group A, alongside hosts Kenya, as well as Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kenya are making their debut under South African head coach Benni McCarthy, part of Erik ten Hag's Manchester United coaching staff.
"Honestly, it is a great challenge," the 47-year-old said.
"When you play football and then convert to become a coach, to get what you want to be the best, the difficult teams will always be in your path. You have to beat them anyway."
Co-hosts Uganda have competed in six of the previous seven CHAN tournaments without ever qualifying for the knockout phase, but they hope to break the jinx, beginning with the home group matches against Algeria, Guinea, Niger and South Africa.
They have tapped former national team captain Denis Onyango to join the technical bench and help improve their goalkeeping.
Meanwhile, defending champions Senegal begin against fellow west African rivals Nigeria at Zanzibar's Amaan stadium on August 5.