Nyanza leaders irked after Western region left out of plans to host AFCON

Various political leaders from Nyanza and the Western region have come out to express their displeasure with the government’s decision to snub the regions in hosting the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) matches set to be held in the country in 2027.

The government chose Eldoret as the only town outside Nairobi to host the AFCON matches, something the leaders claim is a political move.

In a joint statement, Kisumu County Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o, and his Kakamega counterpart Fernandes Barasa now want the Ministry of Sports to reconsider its decision and allow the matches to be played in Kakamega and Kisumu.

According to the two county bosses, the two regions have a lot of soccer fans, hence, there will be a high turn-up at the stadium if the two towns host the games.

“Western Kenya should have been included in the country’s plans to host the AFCON. The region is where football fans exist in abundance and not Uasin Gishu or Eldoret,” the leaders said in a statement.

The two governors observed that AFCON matches will be played in empty stadiums if they are hosted in Eldoret, a region they claim has more athletic fans than football.

"Eldoret has athletic fans in millions, and that’s the truth. This means that the AFCON matches will be played in empty stadiums with little impact," they asserted.

The governors’ statement was echoed by Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron, who termed the decision to leave out Kisumu and Kakamega from hosting the tournament as a mistake and misjudgment.

"Kisumu is one of the natural venues for hosting AFCON out of Nairobi. For maximum revenue and sports marketing, Kisumu fits the bill," Oron the lawmaker said.

"Kisumu and Kakamega are homes to a galaxy of football talents and should be considered for new sports facilities. The two counties have produced many football stars compared to other counties combined," he added.

As the debate for Kenya's AFCON venues threatens to adopt a political lead, co-host countries have already chosen regions where they will host their matches. Uganda will host the AFCON events in Kampala, Lira and Hoima, while Tanzania has opted for Dar e Salaam, Zanzibar and Arusha.