Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has confirmed that Kenya is pushing for an increase in stadium attendance for the Kenya vs Madagascar quarter-final CHAN match.
In a statement on Wednesday, August 20, Mvurya said the appeal follows an incident-free clash between Kenya and Zambia at Kasarani on Sunday, August 17.
The revealed that the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has already engaged the Confederation of African Football (CAF) requesting a review of the current 60 percent stadium capacity limit.
"FKF has already engaged CAF to have the numbers revised; however, we await CAF’s response and will communicate any updates in due course," he said.
On ticketing, Mvurya assured fans that CAF is addressing the issues with its online portal that temporarily disrupted access to tickets.
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"CAF is sorting out the issue of ticketing. There was a challenge yesterday, and they are working on it. We are confident they will announce soon how fans can access tickets through the portal. In the meantime, we urge Kenyans to maintain their high spirits, unity, and unwavering support for the Harambee Stars," he added.
Mvurya further welcomed CAF’s positive assessment of Sunday’s fixture, noting that the game was managed without any hitches.
"We did not have any incident that could attract sanctions from CAF and therefore we want to thank the 12th man, the fans, the security team and all stakeholders who played a key role in ensuring a seamless game on Sunday. This affirmation underscores Kenya’s commitment to delivering a safe and world-class tournament experience,” he further said.
Further, to ensure more fans can take part in the action, the government, through FKF and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), has expanded the number of official fan zones from 10 to 13.
The new venues include Ruiru, Camp Toyoyo in Dagoretti, and Baba Dogo. These will complement existing fan zones at Uhuru Park, Archives, Dandora, Jacaranda, Clay City, Githurai, Kibra DC Grounds, and Lucky Summer.
Mvurya also encouraged private entities and county governments to set up additional fan zones, provided they work closely with the LOC.
On Monday, August 11, CAF announced that only 27,000 fans would be allowed to attend matches at the Moi International Sports Centre following several security lapses during the Kenya vs Morocco game on Sunday, August 10.
Other than capacity restrictions, a strict ticketing policy allowing entry only to electronic ticket holders will be observed, with thermal tickets being prohibited.
Additionally, CAF said the LOC and the government will launch a public media campaign to reinforce safety protocols and entry requirements.
"CAF expects full and immediate compliance with these directives. Failure to implement them may result in more serious sanctions, which may include the consideration of alternative venues for future matches of the Host Team.
"We trust these measures will be applied swiftly to protect competition's integrity, ensure fan safety, and uphold confidence in Kenya's commitment to the Tournament," the statement read.
CAF listed the major security issues that took place, including overrunning of stadium gates and PSAs by ticketless spectators and holders of physical tickets distributed by the government, breaches of the perimeter fence, and loss of control at exit points.
The confederation also pointed out the crowd control failure at Ngomongo roundabout which resulted to uncontrolled access through multiple gates.
CAF also noted the use of tear gas and flash grenades, with reports of live ammunition fired near spectators and staff.
The confederation also claimed violent incidents including throwing stones at security personnel, and unsafe vehicle movement in spectator areas were witnessed during the game.
