Kenya yet to pay Sh1.6 billion CHAN hosting fees
The government also has to grapple with the logistics planning for thousands of guests slated to visit the country in August
With a little under six months ahead of the forthcoming 2025 CHAN (Africa Nations Championships), it is now emerging that the government is yet to pay Ksh 1.6 billion hosting fees.
The 2024/25 Supplementary Estimates report, submitted by the State Department of Sports to the National Assembly’s Committee on Sports and Culture, to the National Assembly points to financial constraints.
“The government is required to pay $13 million (Ksh 1.682 billion), for hosting rights to CAF (Confederation of African Football). The limited fiscal space of the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund (SASDF) is a result of prioritising CHAN and AFCON infrastructure projects, including renovations of the Kasarani, Nyayo and Kipchoge Keino stadiums. We, therefore, urge the committee to prioritise the payment for hosting rights,” reads part of the report.
This being the eighth edition of the biennial event and only reserved for local players, the trio East African nations of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will be co-hosting.
The report indicates that because of multiple infrastructure projects going on at the same time under the ministry of Sports in readiness for both the forthcoming CHAN 2025 and AFCON 2027, its budgets are heavily constrained. Priority has gone to the Nyayo Stadium, Moi International Sports Centre-Kasarani, Talanta City Stadium, Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret and Ulinzi Sports Complex thus the Sports, Arts & Social Development Fund (SASDF) has witnessed a hit in budgetary allocations.
Organisers and the ministry of Sports were granted an additional Ksh 100 million to facilitate the successful CHAN and AFCON tournaments. As it stands, renovations are ongoing in the three Nairobi facilities with the aim of beating the deadline set out by CAF.
At the same time, government has to grapple with the logistics planning for thousands of guests slated to visit the country in August and it remains to be seen whether the June budget will address the immediate concerns. Areas around accommodation, security, broadcast, transportation and entertainment are amongst costs that have to be factored in by the joint hosts.
Kenya is in Pool A of the CHAN competition alongside Angola, Morocco, DR Congo and Zambia.
