Kenyan officials insist CAF pleased with preps for Chan

The Ministry of Sports, Culture & Arts, Principal Secretary Amb. Peter Kaberia has poured cold water on growing concerns that Kenya is on the verge of losing hosting rights for the 2018 African Nations Championship (Chan).

Kaberia, who met CAF second vice-president Constant Omar when he visited the country earlier this week, said the official expressed satisfaction with assurances given by his Ministry and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) regarding preparations Chan.

Speaking at the Ministry headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday during the unveiling of their partnership with Kenya Airways as the official carrier for all teams representing Kenya in various events, Kaberia challenged Kenyans to be positive about the efforts relevant stakeholders are putting to ensure the country hosts Chan.

“We are confident the tournament will be successfully held in Kenya. The CAF vice-president only came assess the political situation in the country after the Supreme Court of Kenya (SCOK) annulled the presidential election.

“We convinced him that the elections have nothing to do with our preparations for Chan, reminding him him we had the 2013 results contested in the same court but we later moved on as a country,” Kaberia stated.

Kaberia exuded confidence with the contractors deployed on-site at the five stadiums earmarked as host venues for the biennial tournament, saying there is convincing progress.

His remarks were echoed by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa, who revealed that he will be facing the CAF Executive Committee in Accra, Ghana, on September 23 in a meeting that will announce the final verdict on Chan.

“I will be going to Ghana for the CAF Executive Committee meeting, which must be preceded by their inspection team tour to Kenya to assess our progress.

“The ongoing work in the four venues in Nyayo Stadium, Kinoru, Machakos and Kipchoge Keino is very encouraging. I’m hopeful that the by time the inspection team comes, we shall have done a lot,” Mwendwa avered.

CAF announced it had called off its final September 7 inspection visit to Kenya to assess preparedness of the country for the 2018 African Nations Championship, days after SCOK cancelled Uhuru’s Kenyatta’s reelection as President.

Instead, the continental governing body sent Omari who is also the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Football Association (FECOFA), to discuss the implications of SCOK’s ruling with Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario and other local stakeholders.