Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has urged Kenyan football supporters to safeguard newly upgraded stadium infrastructure as the country readies to co‑host next month’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) with Tanzania and Uganda. She delivered the appeal during the formal handover of the refurbished Nyayo National Stadium to tournament organisers, stressing that substantial public investment and months of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) engineering work have gone into restoring both Nyayo and the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
“It is a moment to implore our sports fans: the incidents we often see of vandalism extreme celebration that ends in broken seats and damaged fittings must not recur,” Tuya said, underscoring that the Defence Ministry, through KDF, undertook the upgrades to ensure CHAN and, looking ahead, the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) are staged in quality venues. She noted that auxiliary facilities such as Police Sacco Stadium and the Ulinzi Complex have also been readied for training use during the tournament window.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya echoed the call for care and patriotism, urging Kenyans to turn out in large numbers for affordable, family‑friendly matchdays that showcase the country’s investment in sport. Framing CHAN 2025 as a springboard, he reminded fans that Kenya previously missed out on hosting opportunities in 1996 and 2018 and called this year’s event “historic,” adding that strong home support can build momentum toward AFCON 2027 preparations.
CHAN kicks off on August 2 in Dar es Salaam, where co‑hosts Tanzania face Burkina Faso in the tournament opener. Kenya’s Harambee Stars launch their Group A campaign against two‑time champions DR Congo at Kasarani on Sunday, August 3. Later that day, Nyayo stages Morocco versus Angola in the evening slot. Group A completed by Zambia will be based in Nairobi through the group phase, with fixtures divided between Kasarani and Nyayo.
The month‑long championship is set to culminate with the final at Kasarani on August 30, crowning a pan‑East African hosting effort that also deploys venues in Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar. Officials hope that a vandalism‑free, well‑attended CHAN will validate recent infrastructure upgrades and serve as a dress rehearsal for the region’s joint staging of AFCON 2027.
Tournament safety regulations empower organisers to deploy robust stewarding and security measures to protect facilities; fans found damaging property risk removal and disciplinary action under CAF competition and safety rules another reason, Tuya stressed, for supporters to celebrate responsibly and leave the stadia intact for future internationals.
