Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya remains non-committed on whether fans will be allowed free entry for next month’s African Nations Championships (CHAN).
The CS says they will explore the option and provide a definitive answer by the end of the week.
“On the issue of the payment fee and how the fans will be treated, that is part of the issue that will be discussed by the teams here. We will be giving you a briefing before the end of the week on all those matters,” Mvurya said.
Kenya is set to co-host the continental tournament — featuring players who ply their trade in local leagues — from February 1-28.
Next-door neighbours Uganda and Tanzania are the other co-hosts.
Free entry or not, Mvurya called on the fourth estate to keep spreading the ‘gospel of CHAN’ and entice as many Kenyans as possible to mark their calendars.
“Part of what I have asked the media to work with us is a sensitisation programme, which will be running through for Kenyans so they can appreciate that we have been given an opportunity of a lifetime to ensure we profile our talents, position our country as a tourism destination and enhance investments into different sectors,” he said.
The CS expects Nairobi to be a beehive of activity as tens of thousands of fans from other countries throng the city to partake of their beloved sport.
Preparations on point
Even as the CS called a presser to ramp up excitement for the competition, questions still linger regarding how far the designated venues are from completion.
Mvurya expects all works at the Nyayo Stadium as well as Kasarani to be completed by the end of the week.
“If you look at Nyayo, the major thing left to do is to erect the floodlights…and they have already put the poles in place. In the next two or three days, I expect that they will be done. The other major thing is general cleanliness in and around the stadium. I am satisfied that we are on course and I am confident that Nyayo will be ready by Wednesday,” he said.
The CS added: “At Kasarani, work is also progressing well and by Wednesday I believe it will be complete because they are working round the clock. What is remaining is the installation of the floodlights…around 57 of them…and the laying of the grass, which is going on well. There should be no worries about the readiness of any pitch…all of them will be fit for use as we had planned from the beginning.”
The draw for the competition is set for Wednesday (January 15) at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
It is during the same event that other details, such as venue of the opening match and final, will be known.
