Senators question Kasarani Stadium readiness for AFCON 2027
The Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare inspected the Nairobi stadium and questioned its accessibility and emergency preparedness ahead of the December 31 deadline.
The Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare has raised concerns over the readiness of Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, to host matches at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The committee, chaired by West Pokot Senator Julius Murgor, inspected the 48,000-capacity stadium on November 11, 2026, to check the progress of upgrade works before the December 31 handover deadline.
Senators questioned the pace of construction, access for persons living with disabilities and the stadium's emergency preparedness. Nominated Senator Crystal Asige called for sustainable accessibility measures, while Kajiado Senator Seki Lenku questioned firefighting preparedness after Nairobi City County officials reported that fire hydrants had no water during an earlier inspection. The project team, led by Major Daniel Makana, told the committee the stadium would be ready within the stipulated timelines.
Kenya is co-hosting AFCON 2027 with Uganda and Tanzania, and Kasarani and the 60,000-seat Raila Odinga International Stadium in Talanta Sports City are among its designated venues. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will approve the stadium only if it meets Category 4 requirements covering infrastructure, spectator safety, accessibility and media facilities. In September 2026, Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi said a recent CAF inspection had returned encouraging results, though he said this was not final certification.
Why it mattersPersons living with disabilities and spectators at the stadium depend on its accessibility and firefighting measures, which senators say remain under scrutiny before the December 31 handover.