By Ongaga Ongaga
A joint parliamentary committee on Sports has backed Kenya’s preparedness to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), saying the country has the infrastructure and capacity required to stage the continental tournament.
The lawmakers expressed satisfaction with the progress and architectural standards of the Talanta Sports City Stadium, describing the facility as a major investment that will benefit Kenyan athletes and sports for generations.
Also Read
The committee, led by National Assembly Sports Committee Chairperson Dan Wanyama, made the remarks during an extensive inspection of the 60,000-seater Raila Odinga International Stadium, which is expected to host key AFCON 2027 matches.
Wanyama said the inspection was aimed at assessing Kenya’s preparedness and the state of infrastructure ahead of the tournament, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
“Today, the Committee on Sports and Culture has had a tour of the Raila Odinga International Stadium, and the purpose was basically to come and see the preparedness of Kenya to host AFCON and to see the state of the infrastructure that will host the matches,” Wanyama said.
He said the progress witnessed at the stadium had given the committee confidence that Kenya would be ready to host the tournament.
“As a committee, our tour has given us an indication that all is well and Kenya will be in a position to host AFCON because so far what is remaining is so minor, and we want to appreciate the works that have been done,” he said.
Wanyama described the stadium as a modern facility and said the investment represented value for money.
“This is something that Kenya should be proud of. The government has delivered a stadium of a modern stature. When you walk around here, for sure you will see that there is value for money and that Kenya is ready to host AFCON come 2027,” he said.
The lawmakers said the pace of construction and the engineering standards witnessed at the facility were encouraging, with the stadium expected to form a central part of Kenya’s hosting plans.
Project supervisors from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have committed to completing the remaining auxiliary works by December 31, 2026, providing a firm deadline ahead of the continental tournament.
The committee’s visit comes as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania continue preparations for the 2027 AFCON tournament, with infrastructure development and venue readiness forming a key part of the preparations.
The lawmakers were accompanied by AFCON 2027 Local Organising Committee Chairperson Nicholas Musonye, Sports Kenya Director General Timothy Kiplimo, Sports Administrative Secretary Josephine Ouko and other senior officials from the Ministry of Sports.
