Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya (centre) and his Interior and National administration counterpart Kipchumba Murkomen (second, left) tour MISC, Kasarani on January 7, 2025.
The government is targeting April completion date for refurbishment of Moi International Sports Center (MISC) Kasarani .The 60,000-seater facility has been undergoing renovation since December 2023.
It is one of the venues earmarked to host the delayed 2024 Africa Nations Championship (Chan) tournament scheduled for August 2 to 28 this year, and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament.
Kenya will co-host both 2024 CHAN tournament, and 2027 Afcon with neighbours Uganda and Tanzania.
Speaking yesterday after inspecting ongoing renovation work at MISC Kasarani, Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum said the project contractor is finalising work on the second phase of the project under the revised dates.
“Hundred percent complete (renovation of MISC, Kasarani) will be in April. We had initially stopped some of the work in phase two because we did not want to make it a construction site when we are hosting 2024 CHAN but when the tournament was moved (to August 2 to 28), we reinstated all the activities that had been planned for the second phase of the renovation. That means in April, this will stop being a construction site and will be ready to host any tournament,” he added.
CHAN is a biennial tournament which is reserved for local players, while Afcon is Africa’s premier national team tournament. Kenya is drawn in Group ‘A’ alongside Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia, and Angola for 2024 CHAN.
Initially, the 2024 Chan was scheduled for September last year, before being postponed to February 1 to 28 this year, and then to August.
In postponing the tournament, Caf president Patrice Motsepe said on January 15 that Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania needed more time to ensure that their infrastructure is at the level required by the continental football governing body.
Nyayo National Stadium is the other match venue that Kenya presented for Chan while the training grounds are: MISC Kasarani Annex, Police Sacco Stadium, and Ulinzi Sports Complex.
The government missed the December 2024 deadline for completing the renovation at MISC. Laying of the tartan track, enhancement of the media tribunal, installation of the sound system, and completion of the installation of the canopy, Tum said, is the remaining work under phase two.
Phase one of the renovations included installation of the floodlights and seats, refurbishment of the dressing rooms and washrooms and replacement of the playing surface.
Nicholas Musonye, the chairman of Kenya’s National Steering Committee for the 19-team 2024 CHAN, and the 24-team 2027 Afcon, and Football Kenya Federation president Hussein Mohammed are some of the officials who were with Tum in yesterday’s inspection tour.
The PS said that they intend to test the pitches and training venues to ensure they meet international standards.
“The discussion that I had in the morning is just to do a road map and in that road map, we want to test the pitches, Nyayo and Kasarani (MISC) plus training pitches also so this team, at the end of the day tomorrow (Friday) will have come up with fixtures that will ensure we have tested just before Caf come and do their last round of inspection just to ensure before the last round of inspection,” said Tum.
“…Are we happy with the progress? The answer is yes. We are very confident as a Ministry and government that we are on the right track,” he added.
On Thursday, Tum also gave a keynote address as he opened a two-day workshop for Kenya’s Chan/ Afcon National Steering Committee and Secretariat at the Moi International Sports Centre’s Stadion Hotel.
Also in attendance was Caf’s Chan/Afcon Host Country Manager for Kenya, Kabelo Bosilong, and Confederation of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) Chief Executive Officer, Auka Gecheo.
