By Daily Sports on July 31, 2017

As the fever for the 5th edition of the 2018 CHAN Nations Cup football summit to be hosted by the East African country of Kenya gets underway across Africa, Kano State, as one of the great football loving states in Nigeria offered to undertake all the preparations of the CHAN Eagles and also serve as home ground for all the qualifying matches.

That gesture from the sporting executive Governor of the ancient city of Kano, His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje OFR, relieved in no small measure, the burden of financial insolvent of the NFF. The state government has long made the CHAN Eagles, their technical crew and other officials comfortable and at home and concentrating in their training programme in readiness for their first leg qualification showdown against Benin Republic national in August.

The heat is already on the football pitches across African countries in their struggle to pick slots from their respective groups which would enable them fly their flags in the finals in Kenya. The decision for Kenya as host was cemented by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) at its Executive Committee Congress since February 21, in Cairo. Football Kenya Federation (FKF) chief, Nick Mwendwa who attended the Assembly was the first to react as the news broke right under his nose, as he excitedly declared “the change of guard meant Kenya’s status as the hosts of the 2018 Africa Home Nations Championships (CHAN) remained safeguarded.” The country’s federation was affiliated to FIFA in 1960 and CAF in 1961.
Mwendwa further revealed that the new continental football topmost administrator, Ahmad Ahmad made a secret visit to Kenya to convince him to vote in his favour. This cordial relationship signalled a positive future partnership. The national team Coach, Stanley Okumbi backed Ahmad’s administration to help deliver a new era of ‘modern football’ in Africa.

It would be recalled that the CAF executive committee designated Kenya as host of the CHAN following receipt of necessary government guarantees and complete dossier including the required infrastructure and security. The FKF will need close to Sh500 million to host a successful event in 2018. It will also be an opportunity for the national team to play in a continental event.

From the above colouration, it is clearer how Kenya got the nod to host the 5th edition of the CHAN in 2018 and the stage is set for the qualifiers by countries as the championship proper is scheduled to take place between January 11, and February 2, 2018. And the supremo governing body of football in that East African nation, the FKF has planned to use four stadia as tournament venues. However, only Nyayo National Stadium and Kasarani Stadium were considered as at the time of this write up to meet hosting requirements after CAF inspection. As we earlier stated, the qualifying rounds run from April to August 2017.

It is still the 16-Team format for the final championship; note that it is only the flagship, AFCON that will bear a 24-Team toga when Cameroun hosts the next version in 2019. As Kenya and her football federation are working round the clock to post a five-star hosting outing in all its ramifications, the Pride of Africa Airline, Kenya Airways as a foremost corporate citizen is on its wings roaring to go places to showcase what it knows how to do best across the globe.

On that background therefore, it is instructive to remember that the Kenyan national team is colloquially known as the Harambee Stars and plays its home games primarily at the Nyayo National Stadium in the country’s capital, Nairobi.

Going down memory lane, the team has never qualified for a FIFA World Cup finals as a side that represents Kenya in international football. It is controlled by the FKF and competes as a member of CAF; and the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA), a sub-confederation of CAF that has jurisdiction in East and Central Africa. 

Kenya Airways has singularly identified with sports sponsorships and growth of her country’s sports especially football in recent years. As one of the frontline airlines in the continent, it has also not failed to show capacity and persistence to ensure youths and the young ones are not left out in its benevolent contributions on her avowed quest to raise Kenyan children through sports of their choice. Since then, it has been prudent management of money, men and material coupled with timeliness and reliability, a target it set for itself in the highly competitive global aviation sector. It has served as not only the tonic for the overwhelming acceptance of airline by its number of customers across the globe but also as the needed stimuli that has held as integral part of the airline to be on its present front bench it is proudly occupying today in the scheme of airlines in the world. 

Today, Kenya is the preferred gateway to Africa due to its deep integration with the rest of the world. The airline was established in January 1977. Since then, KQ has played a central role in Kenya’s economic evolution, connecting the country to the rest of Africa and the world.

In sum, without any prejudice, the Kenya Airways has been pivotal in economic growth and sundry of the east African country, which also identifies the country as one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the continent. Of home truth is that the President Uhuru Kenyatta nation could not have achieved this without the role played by the national carrier. For instance, a study once released by Visa revealed that Nairobi is the most strategic city for multinationals eyeing the African market. Authentic record also show that KQ flies to more African cities than any other airline on the continent; while most of the international carriers make stopovers in Nairobi en route other destinations in the region.

It is therefore incumbent upon the company’s management to ensure that the airline, which is currently grappling with financial challenges, does not follow the route of its predecessor, the East African Airways Corporation. The memories of the East African Airways made KQ stronger going and making bolder statement by the day. It would be recalled that KQ’s shareholders at a certain Annual General Meeting (AGM) at that cloudy period told the management to steer the airline to profitability and since then that charge has not only acted like the needed wakeup call that steadied it in the comity of nations. Kenya All-Stars team loses, but Brand Kenya wins big.

Just in February, Kenya Airline and other corporate citizens sponsored Kenyan All-Stars football team that though lost against Hull City 2-1, but Brand Kenya and Kenya Tourism gained big through the exposure from the match. The venue was the KCOM stadium in Hull where they fielded only five of their top players, giving reservists the chance to show their mettle in a friendly match against Kenya’s best players. The game was made possible by SportPesa, Kenya Airways, and the Kenya Tourism Board which brought the Kenyan team to the United Kingdom.

“My ministry is keen to look to alternative ways of growing tourist numbers. We have taken note of the fact that in today’s globalised world, tourism is the world’s number one industry – while sports is regarded as the number one industry in the leisure sector. Moreover, sports are an integral part of all culture, and while often viewed as a separate activity, it is inextricably linked to tourism. Sports can now be viewed as an attraction within the broader tourism industry, as it is fast emerging as key source of tourism supply.”

All-Stars and Hull City, are a catalyst for economic and urban renewal, which in turn allows for development of both capacity and destination attraction for tourism. The Kenya airline believes that the subject of urban regeneration can become a focal point of sports tourism legacy, as it would enables the host city to develop or enhance both amenities and social needs for the benefit of the community and the surrounding population. Kenya Airways has been in the forefront of sports tourism providing its services to encourage the loud initiative. Kenya airline has paid its dues in its bid to develop children through sports over these years. It is poised to set the tone before, during and after the CHAN Championship coming up in its country next year. The airline, reports say, is leaving nothing to chance to ensure her nation would stage investment oriented Africa football showpiece that would clear the way for the country’s bid to host the premier summit, AFCON in future.

Head or tail the airline has solidified its base hence it is pumping so much into its Corporate Social Responsible in sports and other sectors of the Kenyan economy.

However, recent history show Kenya has not qualified for a major international tournament since the 2004 AFCON. The current head coach Stanley Okumbi was appointed in February 2016 and since his arrival Kenya has climbed back into the top 100 FIFA ranked nations. Lowest 140 (August 2011).

In May 2017, the Kenya Football Federation signed a three-year partnership with kits manufacturer Mafro Sports for the provision kits for all national teams, as well as junior categories. Consequent upon that, the national team will use red jerseys for home matches, white jerseys for away games, and green jerseys for encounters played on neutral venues.
Kenya had earlier missed out on the bid to host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals after the government failed to provide the necessary guarantees on time. But FKF President after the technical loss convinced CAF to award the country the rights to stage the CHAN competition, a second tier event to the premier Africa Cup of Nations. He also lauded the government for supporting the bid whose success, he said, will mark a major milestone in local football development.

“This is a big milestone in the growth journey for Kenyan football and we are gratified and honoured to have successfully bided for this great showpiece that gives our people an opportunity to host the continent’s best teams,” he added.

He said hosting the event will be a big platform in FKF’s bid to enhance local sports tourism through football. This comes shortly after the country successfully hosted the regional CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup.

“The country won the regional tournament at home. That has long given our country, the players and its technical crew, the much sort after confidence that we can repeat the feat when we host CHAN on home soil,” he predicted. The FKF boss insists that he is quite aware of the big task to which he has committed the country and acknowledged that the real work has long begun. He called on all stakeholders and corporate partners to join hands with FKF and the government to make the event a huge success. “It is one football tournament that would open up our dear country and her numerous potentials to the outside world and so, all hands must be on deck to enhance it for possible foreign investment opportunities that would flow thereafter,” he added. 

To that effect, Kenya Airways as veteran of this kind is not new in the terrain and so is pointedly prepared to play its leading role in the overall success of the second tier continental biannual football showpiece in its country. 

“As we are aware, this kind of summit is normally staged in different venues in the true spirit of going down to the people. We therefore urge the county; governments are already preparing facilities to ensure that some of the matches would be hosted by them.

“The transport system is also fast evolving in the counties. CAF will visit Kenya again to begin setting up administrative and logistical structures and we look forward to unwavering support from everyone,” the highly enthusiastic Mwendwa, re-echoed.

Chiefly Nairobi, Machakos, Kisumu, Nakuru and Mombasa counties are expected to host the tournament. Others might join the five if they upgrade their stadia. Looking back why this CHAN hosting is carrying lots or aura among football bigwigs and stakeholders may not be far-fetched if one attempts to look at it from the perspective that the country last attempted to host a continental tournament in 1996, but later pulled out, citing lack of finances and government support for the Africa Nations Cup. South Africa went ahead to host and eventually won the tournament.

Head or tail, it will be exciting spice with passion. It is going to be marvellous, watching how the airline would factor perfectly into the Kenya 2018 CHAN Championship moving train as we keep our fingers crossed!  

Meanwhile, discussion on Kenya airline and its giant strides continues on Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsAPP, and Facebook. Keep shooting Hard. Till next week!

Source Daily Sports

Posted July 31, 2017

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