It is all systems go as the delayed African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024) is set to kick off on Saturday, 2 August, and run until 30 August 2025.
Ahead of the African continental football showpiece CHAN, which is a men’s football competition reserved for players active in their countries’ domestic leagues, calls have been made to Kenyans to fill up the stadiums and cheer the national team Harambee Stars while avoiding political disillusionment in the space of the unifying factor which sports provides.
Speaking in Nairobi, Edwin Kuria, the Chairman of the Kumi Bila Break movement, a group that supports the government under the leadership of President William Ruto said that football being a non partisan and non political activity should bring the country together and warned political leaders against using the competition to divide people along political and ethnic lines.
Under the FIFA and CAF rules of engagement internationaly, football and sports is general should be apolitical and political interference puts the host country at the risk of sanctions from the governing bodies which means that if people turn the stadium into a political gallery, the national team might end up playing in empty stadia or even worse get banned.
Kuria expressed concerns over social media reports which indicate that some politicians have planned to fuel hostilities during the matches with anti government chants of One term commonly translated as Wantam and pro government chants of two terms for the President.
According to Kuria, the political intolerance would stand in the way of talented footballers who have a real chance of showcasing their talent at the big stage and potentially strike their big career break through.
“Our young men stand a big chance to showcase their talent and politics would mean that they stand the risk of losing that opportunity big opportunityto showcasetheir talent. Chan is purely meant for players in local leagues which is a golden opportunity for our young players to be noticed,” Kuria warned.
Offering an example of Aldrine Kibet who recently joined Spanish La Liga side Celta Vigo, Kuria reminded Kenyans that the young Kibet is bound to eke a living out of football after he was scouted from the secondary school games and finally moved to Nastic academy abroad before breaking into the La Liga.
“We have visitors who look up to us let us so for once let us keep our dirty linen within the bedroom and sports our team without undue political theatrics. After Chan we can go back to our Wantam and Tutam politics but for now, let us all rallying behind our team,” Kuria added.
A section of politicians have been cited accusing politicians allied to the government of purchasing bulk ticket for Chan which will allegedly be distributed to government supporters saying that they will mobilise thousands of youths to cause disruption during the matches. However, CAF has clarified that all tickets will be sold online and that no physical tickets will be available at the gates.