CAF top bosses in town for CHAN inspection

Football Kenya Federation boss Nick Mwendwa addresses the press during a past briefing. He remains confident Kenya will host a successful CHAN event in 2017.PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 12 – A high powered Confederation of African Football (CAF) delegation is in the country for a major inspection tour of venues to be used in next year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN), six months to the biennial showpiece.

The contingent is led by new CAF Second Vice President Constant Omari plus a host of departmental heads from the continental football body.

Also part of the delegation is Media Manager Mohamed Thabet, Marketing and TV Assistant Amira Mohamed, IT Director Tarek Abdalla, Competitions Deputy Director Khaled Atef, Service Deputy Director Madgaldin Abdelrazik as well as CHAN 2018 Assistant Tournament Director Wally Ismail.

On Monday, they are set to tour Eldoret, one of the three host towns for the tournament and its facilities. They will inspect the Kipchoge Keino Stadium which will host matches as well as Moi University School of Law and Eldoret Polytechnic which will be the training venues.

They will also tour the Boma Inn Hotel, the accommodation venue for teams and CAF delegates as part of preparations ahead of the main event.

On Tuesday, they will be in Machakos County where they will inspect the Kenyatta Stadium as well as Machakos Girls High School and Machakos University College, the training facilities. The proposed accommodation facility, Gelian Hotel will also be inspected.

The team will then fly to Meru on Wednesday via Isiolo.

FKF President Nick Mwendwa (right) poses with former CAF vice President Suketu Patel (second left) alongside former CECAFA boss Leodagar Tenga and former Sports Ministry principle secretary Richard Ekai during CAF’s last visit to Nairobi. PHOTO/ Raymond Makhaya

They will inspect the accommodation facility, Alba Hotel, training venues Meru Teachers College and Meru Polytechnic as well as the Kinoru Stadium which opened its doors to its first match two weeks ago when Tusker hosted AFC Leopards in a KPL match.

Nairobi venues, Nyayo and Kasarani will be inspected on Thursday and Friday.

Kenyatta University, Kenya School of Monetary Studies, Postbank Sports Club, Nairobi School and the Utalii College will be the training venues to be inspected while the Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club, Safari Park Hotel, Laico Regency, Radisson Blue and Vila Rosa Kempinsky are the accommodation facilities.

Football Kenya Federation has insisted that Kenya will stage a wonderful event even with some of the venues running late in terms of renovation and refurbishment.

This is the fourth visit by the CAF top brass ahead of the competition. Former CAF Secretary General Hicham El Amrani was the first last year, just a few months after the completion of the last tournament in Rwanda.

It was followed up by a visit by former president Issa Hayatou and his vice Almamy Camara with the duo also holding talks with Vice President William Ruto.

The last visit was headed by first vice president Suketu Patel plus a host of other top ranking officials and they held talks with the Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario.

Meanwhile, national women football team Harambee Starlets will play United States of America Women Division One side FC Lynch Burg in a friendly match in Machakos on Thursday evening.

A squad of 30 players has already been called up to camp ahead of the game.

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