The government has put up tight security measures for teams, officials and fans who are set to arrive in the country from next week ahead of this year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) group A fixtures and the final, which will be played at the Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums from early next month.
The Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, gave this assurance yesterday evening when he assessed Nyayo and Kasarani stadiums in the company of the Sports Cabinet Secretary, Salim Mvurya, in a joint inspection of the facilities.
“As a ministry, we have implemented comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of participating teams, officials, and fans. Key security arrangements include the installation of high-tech CCTV cameras at stadiums, controlled access points, crowd control measures, emergency response teams, and a coordinated presence of security personnel throughout the venues, stated Murkomen.
Sports CS Mvurya re-emphasised the government’s commitment through his ministry to deliver a world-class tournament after the renovations and upgrading of the two venues to meet the set CAF standards.
“We are pleased to report that the security plans in place at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani; Nyayo National Stadium; and the designated training facilities meet the required standards to ensure a safe and enjoyable tournament for fans, players, CAF officials, and all stakeholders.” Mvurya said
Mvurya also urged fans to purchase their tickets early in advance once the online sale opens this Wednesday.
Murkomen added that the security personnel who will man the stadiums during the tournaments are currently undergoing specialised training in line with the CAF regulations.
“In line with CAF regulations, security personnel are currently undergoing specialised training to ensure they deliver professional, fan-friendly, and effective service throughout the tournament.”
In order to ensure seamless processing of immigration documents for visitors, the Ministry of Interior has improved its systems to reduce the turnaround time for all foreign delegations who will be in the country for the tournament.
Kenya will face two-time champion the Leopards of DR Congo in the opening Group A match on 3rd August at Kasarani, before facing Angola, Zambia, and Morocco in subsequent fixtures.
All other Group A matches will be staged at Nyayo Stadium.
Co-host Tanzania will battle Burkina Faso in the tournament opener on the 2nd next month at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, while Uganda will get their campaign rolling on the 4th against Algeria at the Nelson Mandela stadium Namboole.
A record 19 teams will participate in the 8th edition of CHAN next month, which had initially been planned for January this year before being postponed to August.
The Pamoja CHAN also serves as a build-up for the three EAC nations in readiness to stage the 2027 AFCON.
