Embu FKF boss says blame on gov’t for CHAN loss

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Secretary of the Embu Sub-branch Joshua Ovito has laid the blame squarely on the Kenyan Government following the loss of hosting rights for the 2018 CHAN.

Ovito said lack of goodwill from the Government and failure to implement its nine-stadia manifesto pledge cost Kenya the chance to host the 16-team competition and now warned of the impending, far-reaching consequences.

According to Ovito, the decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee to strip Kenya of CHAN hosting rights meant hundreds of local youth forfeited the chance to showcase the talents on an international level.

The official regretted how a similar late withdrawal also plagued the country in 1996 when Kenya hosting rights for the African Cup of Nations were handed to South Africa with the country going on to host the World Cup 14 years later.

The Government, together with FKF, has vowed to continue with a stadium construction project after CAF declared the damning verdict that attracted backlash from local fans over the weekend.

CAF said only one of four venues earmarked to host the January 12 to February 4 competition was ready, forcing its exco to dump the east African economic powerhouse.

Kenya would have been the second successive east African country to stage the CHAN after Rwanda in 2016.