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Governors criticise stadium choices for 2027 AFCON, advocating for the inclusion of Western Kenya.
Days after the big announcement of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania winning the bid to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with an estimated budget of Ksh12 billion, a political storm is brewing in Kenya.
Kisumu Governor Prof Peter Anyang' Nyong'o and his Kakamega counterpart Ferdinand Baraza have issued a joint statement expressing their concerns over the choice of hosting stadiums.
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In their statement titled “Where should the AFCON matches be held in Kenya?”, the governors criticise the decision to focus on Nairobi and Eldoret for hosting, accusing the government of sidelining the Western region.
They argue that the Western region, particularly Kisumu and Kakamega, should have been included in the hosting plan due to the abundance of football fans in the area.
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“This, in our view, is a tragic decision. Western Kenya should have been included with either matches being held in Kisumu or Kakamega,” the governors assert.
Pointing out the prevalence of athletic fans in Eldoret, the governors argue that football is not as popular in the region, predicting that AFCON matches in Eldoret would likely result in empty stadiums and minimal impact.
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“The Western region of Kenya is where football fans exist in plenitude. Not in Uashin Gishu, or Eldoret for that matter. The decision by the UDA government may be denying the Western region the opportunity to host the games because we are not shareholders in the Kenya Kwanza Company limited,” the statement reads.
The governors express their disappointment with what they perceive as a change in the government's stance, stating, “That would be extremely myopic as the President was representing the Republic of Kenya when he teamed with our colleagues in the East African Community. Coming back home, he seems to have changed the goalpost. That's unfortunate.”
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They highlight the approach taken by neighboring countries in selecting venues for the tournament. Under the Pamoja Bid, Uganda has chosen Kampala, Lira, and Hoima, while Tanzania has selected Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, and Arusha. The governors question why a similar approach cannot be adopted in Kenya, advocating for the inclusion of venues in the Western region.
“There is still time to reconsider the decision. The people of Western Kenya are waiting,” the governors conclude.
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As the political temperature rises over the choice of hosting stadiums for the 2027 AFCON, the debate not only revolves around the tournament's economic impact but also delves into regional representation and fairness.
The controversy adds an unexpected layer of complexity to the preparations for the AFCON raising questions about the criteria used in selecting hosting venues and the potential consequences of overlooking regions with significant football enthusiasm.
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