Kenya’s hosting rights for the upcoming AFCON games could be in jeopardy if it will not have paid the hosting fee amounting to Kshs 3.9billion by March 30, 2026.

This is according to the PS for Sports, Mr. Elijah Mwangi, who appeared before Sports and Culture Committee chaired by Hon. Dan Wanyama (Webuye West) for the 2025/2026 Supplementary Estimates 1.

The PS during the meeting requested the Committee to ask the National Treasury to move the allocation amounting to Kshs 5billion towards the games projected in the 2026/27 Budget Policy Statement be moved forward to this Supplementary.

“We have received communication from

CAF giving the timelines on the activities that should be done in readines to host the CHAN. We appreciate the NT because in the 2026/2027 BPS, there was an allocation of around Kshs 5billion, 3.5 billion being the hosting fees. But in the light of the recent communication from CAF, we have been given upto 30th of March to clear the payment of hosting fees,” the PS said.

According to the PS, Tanzania and Uganda who are also in the Pamoja hosting bid have already paid their fees and the gains made so far by Kenya towards hosting the games will go down thw drain.

“CAF are very particular that we must show commitment by paying the contribution. So I am seeking this Committee to kindly consider this Supplementary in conjunction with the NT to have the 206/2027 budget brought forward,”

At the same time he disclosed to the Committee that the infrastructure expected to host the games may also not be ready in six months time due to pending bills owed to the contractors engaged during the 2024 CHAN games.

Hon. Wanyama while reacting to the PS request, assured the State Department that the Committee will push NT to release the hosting funds.

“We’ve heard you and we will push Treasury to release money for the hosting rights so that we do not get into the quarkmire of us being denied to host AFCON and then we give a chance to our neighbors to do so. It will be a big shame to Kenya which has always been a big brother in the region,” the Chairperson said.

PS. Jacobs Fikirini for Youths Affairs and Creative Economy also appeared before the Committee where he sort an additional budgetary alllocation of Kshs 615 million which he says Kshs 244million will go towards establishment of three film hubs in Yatta, Webuye West and Turbo Constituencies.

PS Fikirini told the Members that film hubs will eventually be established across all constituencies in a bid to tap into the creative minds of youths and give them opportunities.