CS Mvurya allays fears over Kenya’s preparedness to host AFCON 2027

Appearing before the Senate Plenary on Wednesday, CS Mvurya assured that Kenya would beat the set deadline by paying the required Ksh 3.9 billion, allaying fears that the country would default on the payment and consequently lose the co-hosting rights.

Other co-hosts, Uganda and Tanzania, have already fulfilled their financial obligations, leaving Kenya as the only partner yet to pay.

“As a Ministry, we are working very closely to ensure that we meet our financial and infrastructural compliance obligation. The facilities that will be used are Talanta, which is Raila Odinga International Stadium that is almost complete and Kasarani. Nyayo, Ulinzi, Police SACCO will be training grounds,” said the CS.

The CS told the Senators that the Government was working on all recommendations raised by CAF following its visit to the country in February 2026 adding that the State will also ensure all financial obligations are met.

“Kenya is supposed to pay Ksh 3.9 billion, we are working with the National Treasury and the relevant Parliament Committee to make sure that we comply to the financial obligation,” revealed the CS.

Responding to a question by Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo regarding the status of Wote Stadium, the CS said the County Government of Makueni County has identified a new site where a full 15,000-capacity stadium will be constructed.

The CS said ‘significant structural and engineering challenges’ had forced the government to downgrade the current site to a 5,000-seater stadium.

“The update now is that the Governor and the County Government of Makueni have identified a new site, which has now been assessed by Sports Kenya and now we are working on the other technical aspects before we make the advertisement,” he said.

“The original site of 5,000 is ongoing. We have paid for the certificate so that the contractor can complete the usability of this original stadium.”

Wote Stadium was among the stadia projects commissioned in the run-up to the 2017 general elections by the Jubilee government, and which the then Deputy President William Ruto declared it would be completed within six months.

While appearing before the Senate on July 23 last year, Mvurya had revealed that phase one of the stadium, which has become an eyesore in Wote town, had gobbled up over Ksh. 250million.