National Assembly’s Sports and Culture Committee Chair Dan Wanyama has shut down any suggestions that Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will not be ready to host next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), expressing satisfaction with ongoing construction works around earmarked facilities.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsWanyama, speaking during a joint parliamentary committee on Sports extensive tour at Kenya’s Talanta Sports City Stadium, said it is “not possible” that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) would consider seeking alternative options for 2027 AFCON, owing to delayed construction of stadia.“It is not possible. It cannot happen,” Wanyama said, responding to a question quoting a report from French newspaper Le Monde, which indicated that sources within the CAF Executive Committee were hesitant on East Africa’s ability to host the tournament, and had in-turn sounded out several countries that could potentially host the competition at short notice.##NAJAVA_MECA_9997646##“CAF have a representative within the country [Kenya], who has been doing supervision, and so far, he has been giving a very good record,” Wanyama said. “As a Committee, our tour has given us an indication that all is well, and Kenya will be in a position to host AFCON.”During their tour, the parliamentary committee focused on the state of infrastructure at Talanta Stadium, noting that its construction was moving at an optimal pace, and represented “genuine value for taxpayer money.”AFCON 2027 preparations gather pace as Kenya advances Talanta Stadium rail link“This is something that Kenya should be proud of,” Wanyama said. “The government has delivered a stadium of a modern stature. When you walk around here, for sure you will see that there is value for money, and that Kenya is ready to host AFCON come 2027.”Going by findings from CAF’s latest inspection tour around Kenya last month, Talanta Stadium received a score of 80 per cent, which is the minimum completion mark the body set in February.CAF 'unimpressed' by state of Kasarani Stadium, training facilities ahead of 2027 AFCONAs per Wanyama, the 60,000-seater facility still had some “minor” portions of work remaining, to fully become operational.image“So far what is remaining is so minor, and we want to appreciate the works that have been done,” Wanyama said. “We have received assurance from the Ministry of Defense (KDF), who are the project supervisors, and they have officially committed to delivering the stadium by 31 December 2026.”Mombasa United draw first blood against Kariobangi Sharks in controversial playoffsThe committee members were accompanied by the AFCON 2027 Local Organizing Committee Chairperson Nicholas Musonye, Director General of Sports Kenya Timothy Kiplimo, and Secretary Administrative for Sports Josephine Ouko.
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