By Reporter
The much awaited football carnival in Kenya, the AFCON games, could be at risk if the government fails to pay Sh 3.9B hosting rights by March 30th, 2026.
Kenya’s hosting rights for the upcoming AFCON games could be in jeopardy if it will not have paid the hosting fee.
While the co-hosts Tanzania and Uganda have so far paid the hosting rights fees, Kenya was yet to make payments to CAF.
This was according to the PS for Sports, Mr. Elijah Mwangi, who appeared before the Sports and Culture Committee chaired by Hon. Peter Wanyama (Webuye West) for the 2025/26 Supplementary Estimates I.
The PS during the meeting requested the Committee to ask the National Treasury to move the allocation amounting to Kshs 5 billion towards the games projected in the 2026/27 Budget Policy Statement be moved forward to this Supplementary.
“We have received communication from CAF giving the timelines on the activities that should be done in readiness to host the CHAN.
We appreciate the NT because in the 2026/27 BPS, there was an allocation of around Kshs 5 billion, 3.5 billion being the hosting fees. But in light of the recent communication from CAF, we have been given up to 30th of March to clear the payment of hosting fees,” the PS said.
According to the PS, Tanzania and Uganda, who are also in the Pamoja hosting bid, have already paid their fees and the gains made so far by Kenya towards hosting the games will go down the drain.
“CAF are very particular that we must show commitment by paying the contribution. So I am seeking this Committee to kindly consider this Supplementary in conjunction with the NT to have the 2026/27 budget brought forward,”
At the same time, he disclosed to the Committee that the infrastructure expected to host the games may also not be ready in six months’ time due to pending bills owed to the contractors engaged during the 2024 CHAN games.
Hon. Wanyama, while reacting to the PS request, assured the State Department that the Committee will push NT to release the hosting funds.
“We’ve heard you and we will push Treasury to release money for the hosting rights so that we do not get into the quagmire of us being denied to host AFCON and then we give a chance to our neighbors to do so. It will be a big shame to Kenya, which has always been a big brother in the region,” the Chairperson said.
PS Jacob Fikirini for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy also appeared before the Committee where he sought an additional budgetary allocation of Shs 615 million, which he says Shs 244 million will go towards establishment of three film hubs in Yatta, Webuye West and Turbo constituencies.
PS Fikirini told the Members that film hubs will eventually be established across all constituencies in a bid to tap into the creative minds of youths and give them opportunities.
