Defence CS Soipan Tuya urges Kenyans to protect stadiums ahead of CHAN tournament

Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya (2nd right) during the handing over of Nyayo National Stadium, which was rehabilitated by KDF, to Sports CS Salim Mvurya (2nd left). (Photo: X/ Soipan Tuya)

By Maureen Kinyanjui
Thursday, July 17, 2025

CS Tuya affirmed the military’s commitment to delivering quality infrastructure for both tournaments.

Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has urged Kenyans to protect stadium infrastructure during the upcoming Africa Nations Championship (CHAN), emphasising the need to preserve the multimillion-shilling investments made in upgrading sports facilities.

Speaking at the official handover of Nyayo National Stadium to the local organising committee, Tuya highlighted the importance of maintaining the renovated venues and cautioned against unruly celebrations that could lead to damage.

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“It is a moment to also implore our Kenyan sports fans that in the same spirit…the incidents we often see of vandalism…extreme celebration that cause destruction of the same infrastructure we have built…we should not see those incidents again,” she said.

The Ministry of Defence, through the Kenya Defence Forces, has led the rehabilitation of both Nyayo and Kasarani Stadiums, which will serve as key venues for CHAN and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Kenya is set to co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.

The rehabilitated Kasarani Stadium. (Photo: X/ Soipan Tuya)

Quality infrastructure

Tuya affirmed the military’s commitment to delivering quality infrastructure for both tournaments.

“As the Ministry of Defence, we are going to deliver CHAN…we are going to deliver AFCON,” she said. “Through support of the Sports Ministry, we are going to ensure that our sports facilities are up to the standards required for these tournaments.”

Kasarani will host all of Harambee Stars’ Group A fixtures, while Nyayo is scheduled to stage the Group C clash between Algeria and Niger.

The two venues are expected to showcase Kenya’s readiness to host top-tier international competitions.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya echoed Tuya’s sentiments and urged Kenyans to show their support by attending matches in large numbers.

He noted that this year’s tournament marks a historic milestone for Kenya after past failed attempts to host AFCON.

“We had the chance to host AFCON in 1996, but we couldn’t…again we tried in 2018, and we didn’t succeed. So, this year’s competition is a historic occasion,” he said, adding that ticket prices had been set low to attract fans from all walks of life.

Mvurya expressed confidence that a successful CHAN tournament would build momentum and public enthusiasm ahead of the 2027 AFCON.

The CHAN tournament is set to kick off on August 2 in Tanzania, with Kenya’s Harambee Stars starting their campaign against the Democratic Republic of Congo on August 3 at Kasarani.