Kenya ready to host CHAN 2024 - Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has confirmed that Kenya is ready to host the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), with the government instituting comprehensive security measures to safeguard fans, players and international visitors.

Speaking on Monday after inspecting Nyayo and Kasarani stadiums in Nairobi, Murkomen said elaborate measures had been established to ensure safety across all key areas of the tournament.

According to Murkomen, who was accompanied by his Sports counterpart Salim Mvurya, visiting delegations will be swiftly processed upon arrival in the country.

"We have put in place elaborate security measures to ensure our visitors arrive at the airport properly. They will be quickly facilitated and screened," Murkomen said.

He added that, under Kenya's ETA-free policy, African nationals will not require visas to enter the country, which is expected to ease the flow of guests.

"All African countries are exempt from Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). We will have as many visitors as possible being quickly facilitated through our airport," he said.

Further, Murkomen noted that additional police deployments have been made at hotels, on major streets and at popular tourist destinations, to safeguard the safety of visitors.

"We expect a lot of visitors to our national parks and historical sites, and all security measures have been put in place to ensure their safety," he added.

To prevent crowd-related incidents, Murkomen stated that modern access control systems have been installed at Nyayo and Kasarani stadiums, adding that entry will only be granted to fans with verified digital tickets.

"We don't expect any stampedes this time. In the past, too many fans came in without tickets. CAF standards now require strict ticket verification," said Murkomen.

He also urged Kenyans to rally behind Harambee Stars and make use of the opportunity to showcase the country's offerings.

"This is a great opportunity to rally behind our team so that we will have our national team playing in the finals at home," Murkomen said.

"This gives us room to prepare ourselves and be known by the entire world. We invite Kenyans from all walks of life to support our team and fill the stadiums. The home team is always considered to have 12 players, and the 12th player is the fans."

The tournament, scheduled for 2 to 30 August 2025, marks CHAN's return to East Africa for the first time since Rwanda staged the event in 2016.

Group stage matches will be spread across four cities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

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Group A fixtures will be held in Nairobi, where hosts Kenya are grouped with Morocco, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia. Dar es Salaam will host Group B, which features Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic.

Group C matches will take place in Kampala, with Uganda drawn alongside Niger, Guinea, South Africa, and Algeria. Zanzibar's Amaan Stadium will host Group D, consisting of Senegal, Congo, Sudan, and Nigeria.

Kenya will host the final at Nairobi's Kasarani Stadium on 30 August 2025, while Tanzania will host the opening match at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on 2 August.

Uganda, on the other hand, will stage the third-place playoff at Mandela Stadium in Kampala.