Gor Mahia Sporting Director Lordvick Aduda has urged the national football team, Harambee Stars, to seize the opportunity presented by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in granting Kenya the right to host the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) final at Nairobi’s Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.Follow Our WhatsApp Channel For More NewsCAF confirmed on Thursday, June 19, that Tanzania will stage the opening ceremony, Uganda will host the third-place playoff, while Kenya will welcome the continent’s attention as two finalists battle for the title in the heart of Nairobi.##NAJAVA_MECA_8986946##Aduda believes Kenya should ideally have been given both the opening and closing ceremonies, but concedes that delays in infrastructure development may have cost the country the opener.“It is now confirmed that CHAN will be hosted in Kenya. We had a lot of misinformation before, but that now solves the whole scenario, and we should start preparing for the showpiece,” Aduda told Mozzart Sport.The former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) brushed off sentiments that Kenya had been overlooked for the tournament’s curtain-raiser.Instead, he said the final was just as important, if not more, and CAF’s decision reflects their belief in Kenya’s preparedness for the decisive match.“No, we haven’t been overlooked. I think we simply weren’t ready in time for the opening ceremony. CAF is giving us time to get everything in order, and their confidence in us to host the final shows how much they believe Kenya will deliver,” he added.FKF hands lifetime ban to referee caught leading Kibera goons in CBD protest attackAduda, known for his articulate and thoughtful take on sports matters, believes hosting the final should serve as major motivation for Harambee Stars.“Having the final in Nairobi is a huge opportunity. It can be a driving force for our players. Playing at home without our team in the mix could hurt attendance, so the players must now step up and make sure they qualify. We need to give fans a reason to fill Kasarani and cheer the team as they chase their first-ever title on home soil.”##NAJAVA_MECA_8986883##He was also quick to clarify that FKF’s role in the tournament is primarily facilitative, given that CHAN is a CAF-led initiative.However, he cautioned against complacency and called for synergy between FKF and the Local Organising Committee (LOC), which is chaired by veteran administrator Nicholas Musonye.“We must understand that this tournament belongs to CAF. FKF is simply hosting it as a CAF member, but it’s up to the LOC and various government departments to raise the standards. Every effort must be made to ensure this becomes one of the best tournaments the continent has seen.”CAF announces host countries for CHAN opening ceremony and finalThis year’s CHAN marks the first time the tournament is returning to East Africa since Rwanda hosted the 2016 edition.The 2024 edition will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, with Zanzibar also named among the host venues in a nod to CAF’s push for greater inclusivity and geographic spread.CHAN 2024 Host Cities and Groups:Group A – Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya, Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, ZambiaGroup B – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African RepublicGroup C – Kampala, Uganda: Uganda, Niger, Guinea, South Africa, AlgeriaGroup D – Zanzibar: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria
