Opinion Yangu: Kenya’s Bid to Host AFCON 2027 is Impossible
President William Ruto is an ambitious man as per the comments he made about Kenya bidding to host AFCON 2027. Ruto made the statement on Monday, May 15, directing the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs Ababu Namwamba to speak with his counterparts from Uganda and Tanzania in supporting the bid.
This is a great move as per the onlookers and maybe supporters of the government but we should handle our sports first before going off and trying to bid for projects that we have no capacity to handle. This is the Biblical Speck in the eye scenario. We are flying way too close to the sun with this bid.
Tanzania and Uganda being involved would add to the embarrassment that is our local sporting events. If the two agree to back our bid, most of the games would be played in their countries compared to Kenya. We would be the ones pushing for the hosting rights but it would look terrible once we fail to host any of the matches.
FIFA requires a certain level of infrastructure for countries wanting to host major tournaments. One has to have the best football pitches and also a fanbase that creates an atmosphere of competition.
Kenya has terrible fields if we are being honest. Kasarani and Nyayo stadium are probably the few stadia that we have where we can brag of international status. Our local sports fanbase is also in shambles. The AFC Leopards game against Gor Mahia is the only one that can pull numbers.
We recently had the Kipkeino Classic event that attracts the best athletes in the world but the turnout was not that great. The entrance fee to the stadium had been scrapped but Kenyans still did not fill the stadium.
The now embattled Pastor Ezekiel Odera is the only man that has managed to fill the stadium, for a religious meeting! Kenyans would rather go for miracles and religious drama but filling up a stadium because of sports is where they draw the line.
