Azimio Governors Raise Concern Over AFCON Plans

Azimio Governors Raise Concern Over AFCON Plans

Azimio Governors Raise Concern Over AFCON Plans

The African Cup of Nations (Afcon) 2027 hosting plan excludes the Nyanza and  Western regions, according to a joint statement from Kisumu Governor Prof.  Anyang’ Nyong’o and his Kakamega counterpart Fernandes Barasa on Sunday. The governors claim that the government intends to limit the hosting of the  premier event to Nairobi and Eldoret for the 2027 Afcon Games.

The two governors wrote that Kakamega and Kisumu ought to have been part of the Afcon hosting preparations.”The Western region of Kenya is home to a plethora of football fans.” Parts of the statement read, “NOT in Uasin Gishu, or Eldoret for that matter.

They said that the government’s decision to hold the games in the two cities is probably going to have a negative impact, such as supporters staying away from the stadiums, particularly in Eldoret, which the Governors claimed has fewer football enthusiasts than Kisumu and Kakamega.The statement said, “The attendance at the stadiums where the matches will be held will determine the success of the matches.”

The two county leaders also asserted that despite Eldoret’s international reputation as a center of athletics, the city does not have a strong football culture, making it doubtful that spectators will show up for the matches. Eldoret is home to millions of athletes and sports aficionados. not soccer though. And it is the simple fact. This implies that the Afcon games will be held in empty venues with minimal damage,” they continued.They added that because the regions are strongholds of the opposition, they had been denied the opportunity to host the Afcon games.

“That would be very narrow-minded because the President joined forces with our East African Community  colleagues while speaking on behalf of the Republic of Kenya,” the speaker said. They claimed that upon returning home, he appeared to have altered the objective.

They also included the neighboring countries of Tanzania and Uganda in their statement, claiming that they have balanced important regions in their plans.It should be mentioned that our neighbors, who are hosting the tournament alongside us in accordance with the PAMOJA proposal, have each selected three locations, namely: Tanzania—Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, and Arusha; and Uganda—Kampala, Lira, and Hoima. The statement said, “Why can’t we do the same in Kenya?”The Azimio governors finished by requesting that the government reevaluate the schedule and make revisions in order to give it a national perspective.

In a statement in response to the events, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna repeated the  opinions of the two governors, claiming that recent attendance at various games  played at the Bukhungu Stadium gives validity to the worries expressed by Nyong’o  and Barasa. “I concur. The attendance at Bukhungu for the most recent regional and national games is  proof,” Sifuna said.

The national government of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda announced that they want  to build a brand-new stadium in Nairobi called the Talanta Stadium in advance of the games after  they jointly won the bid to host the 2027 AFCON. The national government intends to rehabilitate Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret  as well as Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium, Moi International Sports Center Kasarani, and  Moi Stadium.