As Kenya gears up to co-host the African Nations Championship (CHAN) next month, the government is exploring avenues for all sectors of the Kenyan economy to tap into the immense opportunities presented by the tournament.
At the same time, Kenyans have been urged to come out in numbers in support of our national team, Harambee stars as a way of displaying national pride and unity.
CHAN, a biennial football tournament by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), provides a platform for local talent to gain exposure and experience, which can contribute to the development of football in the country.
Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi, speaking during the CHAN National Committee meeting at Talanta Plaza, Nairobi, said the country has been given the green light by CAF and it is ready to host the tournament come August, urging Kenyans to turn up in numbers to witness the event.
“We have assessed the country’s preparedness and I can report that we are ready to host the tournament,” said Mwangi, adding that hosting a successful tournament would bring economic benefits to the country, hence boosting local businesses.
The PS said increased sports tourism in the country would mean higher revenue for hotels, restaurants and local businesses, as well as job creation in the hospitality sector and transportation, with thousands of fans expected to troop into Nairobi for the tournament.
On his part, the Tourism PS John Ololtuaa said that this was a historic moment for Kenya and that the department will play a critical role in ensuring that all the hotels that have been identified to offer services to both locals and the visitors during the tournament are ready.
We will also be liaising very closely with other government departments, including Foreign Affairs and Immigration, to ensure that our visitors receive a warm welcome as they come to Kenya to participate in the CHAN championship games, he added.
Ololtuaa said that tourist attractions across the country have tailor-made programmes where both local and international visitors can visit and enjoy adventure and shopping, as well as any other significant place that they want to tour during their stay.
“We welcome our visitors who will be coming to Kenya. We are ready to host them and give them the support they require,” said the PS, adding that this is a country that is hospitable, warm and has the best tourism attractions that they can be able to interact with.
East African Community PS Dr. Caroline Karugu said sports is a great springboard to regional integration and this was indeed a historic moment for Kenya and the region.
“As the East African community, we are extremely excited that this event will be able to occur in the region and we welcome the entire Africa into Kenya and the larger East African community,” she said.
The PS assured the people of an expedited movement between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, maintaining that they will do their best to ensure that they move around safely and in an expedited manner.
“We will work together to ensure that the people have a great experience and move around as they follow their various games and tournaments,” she said.
On the other hand, Broadcasting and Telecommunication PS Stephen Isaboke, represented by the Director of Information and Broadcasting Joseph Kipkoech, said that Kenya News Agency (KNA) and Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) were ready to cover the event preparations and the event days.
“KNA is ready to provide the necessary content to the media households locally and internationally,” said Kipkoech, adding that the government news agency is duly mandated to provide news and information to enable the public to make informed decisions.
Additionally, Cabinet Affairs PS Idris Dokota said that hosting the CHAN tournament will be a historic moment for Kenya, adding, ‘We should take this opportunity to showcase our culture and hospitality and the way we have embraced our African culture and football at large.’
He urged Kenyans to come out in numbers and attend the matches and cheer our national team, Harambee Stars and the rest of the African teams.
Others in attendance included Interior PS Dr. Raymond Omollo (Interior), his Transport counterpart Mohamed Daghar, President of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Hussein Mohammed and the Chairman of the CHAN Local Organising Committee Nicholas Musonye, among other officials.
By Anita Omwenga
