ABUBAKAR: Chan fuels East African nationalism, rivalry and ultimate excellence

Regardless which country ultimately wins the Chan 2024 tournament, the delayed showpiece, hosted in the three East African nations of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, in August this year, has managed to reveal exciting prospects for the region. The banter between Kenyan and Tanzanian fans has at times appeared intriguing and vicious, but no one can deny that the underlying desire in it has been that of football excellence for each nation’s set of fans.

The first point to note from the Chan period is the growth of sports infrastructure inspired by the hosting of international tournaments. Even though certain venues like the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, Nairobi, the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala, Uganda, existed before the August extravaganza, the renovations carried out on them to meet CAF and Fifa standards, have generally improved their outlook and ability to run global meets.

Beyond that, the rise of the national unity vibe, as well as renewed nationalism, presented by these tournaments, is on another level. Needless to say, the massive support accorded to the national teams of the three host nations by their citizens, confirmed that the symbols of unity and vessels of national support are never too far. It is a challenge to the leaders and authorities in the EAC region that there is more that unites us than those that divide us, and it requires innovative ways to rally citizens around them to achieve this unity.

As president of the East African Law Society, I often grapple with the philosophy of regional integration, exploring how, beyond just my legal field, people and goods can travel freely within the EAC in order to strengthen the regional kinship and trade bonds, as well as cement the ties that define the foundations of our EAC bloc. Co-hosting tournaments and such brilliant sports festivals like Chan go a long way in enriching this desire. I can state without equivocation that the EALS stands willing and ready to play any role in moving this agenda forward.

There is no time to rest, for the three nations have exactly two years to prepare to host the bigger, more explosive Afcon 2027, in June and July 2027. Even though none of the three EAC host nations went past the quarterfinal stage of Chan, there was compelling evidence that a young generation of home-based players has emerged in all three countries, which is brave, talented and thoroughly ambitious. This potent resource, if nurtured well, places the region in good stead to not only face more established opponents in 2027, but with support from government and the people, go one better and storm the semis in Afcon.

I had the privilege to watch all Harambee Stars Chan matches at Kasarani. I was impressed by the renewed camaraderie within the team, the all-round feeling of the existence of mutual respect and a sense of brotherhood created by the coaching staff, led by South African tactician and African football legend, Benni McCarthy. Indeed, if I had a moment to share one piece of advice with the Stars coach, it would be that the hot seat he occupies is placed next to a revolving door where many coaches come and go, so he must exploit the good times and maximise on the existing potential for favourable performances now in the team.

The former Uefa Champions League winner, with Porto FC of Portugal, must have done enough research on Kenyan football, to understand that the adoring fans chanting his name most of August, can turn against him just as fast, when results don’t go their way. This philosophy applies to government support and praises too. Undoubtedly, McCarthy has emerged as the man of the moment, but will be glad to have another go, in a more difficult tournament in 2027.

One advantage McCarthy carries, which is a sharp contrast with his predecessors, is that he has so far come out as a good listener, willing to learn and adopt to new ideas. He also has an easy manner, which encourages his players to express themselves and enjoy the game, which is why players who previously weren’t so well known, even within their club networks, turned up for him and excelled in the tournament. The seed has been planted, and will certainly germinate as a healthy plant in the 2027 Afcon showpiece. A hopeful nation looks up to him for inspiration.

There is yet more work to be done. The failure of team sports in the entire EAC region stems from a lack of consistency and lethargy in the off-tournament periods. Yet the investment, both financial and human, required in these seasons, is what ultimately fuels successful tournament shows. It is important for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to especially note that even though Chan is for players based in the domestic leagues, Afcon will be a free-for-all, where many African countries will arrive with their retinue of European-based stars, the one segment in which the EAC bloc scores very poorly.

It means that for Kenya and its neighbours, the teams they presented at Chan, in terms of star quotient, will practically be the same as the ones at Chan. We do not have any players in top European leagues with big names and star recognition. But we hold that our collective talent and belief, as well as the soldier-level ability to fight for each other, can still make us unbeatable at Afcon. At any rate, even against Madagascar, the game in which Kenya was knocked out, the consensus in the country is that Kenya was not only robbed of a clear second goal, but was the better team all through the game.

We are a football-loving nation and region. Our challenge remains poor administration, poor investment in sports and too much politics around all spheres of life, including football. But sports, and especially football, with its unique ability to bring together people of all walks of life, represents a tool for national cohesion and nation building that few things can match. It fills my heart with pride to see the thousands of fans in the stadia, waving national flags, singing the national anthem and showing absolute affection for their team jerseys. The leaders of these countries, the coaches and the federations have their work cut out. The people have tasted the honey; they’ll demand more henceforth.

Football isn’t the only one on which to shine this focus. This region has already proved to be a strong athletics, rugby, volleyball and boxing paradises. Evidently, the fan numbers rise each time any discipline shows signs of growth, impeccable management and good performance. It shouldn’t take rocket science to acknowledge that the growth of sports, as well as sports infrastructure, has the ability to cause a positive ripple effect in youth employment, economic upturn and national cohesion. For these reasons alone, and due to the fact that we are a matter of months away from hosting Afcon, I appeal to all stakeholders to not slumber, but engage a higher gear in setting a favourable atmosphere, because we stand a good chance to reap big from it.

The writer is the president of the East African Law Society, an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and sports lawyer