Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya


Kenya has unveiled a 39-member Local Organising Committee to spearhead preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations as the government confirmed it has paid the hosting fee to the Confederation of African Football.

In a gazette notice, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya announced the establishment of the Pamoja AFCON 2027 Local Organising Committee (LOC), splitting it from the multi-agency team that steered preparations for 2024 CHAN, citing the scale and complexity of preparations required for the tournament.

Read Also
Red hot Omanyala to orchestrate Kenya's 4x100m charge at World Relays today Athletics
Cup pressure peaks as Shabana host Kenya Police in blockbuster quarter-final Football
Upper Hill coach Walgwe unperturbed despite drawing giants in Prescott Cup group phase Rugby

The move comes shortly after the ministry confirmed payment of $30 million (about Sh3.9 billion) to CAF, effectively securing Kenya’s role as co-host alongside Tanzania and Uganda.

The three nations are set to jointly stage the 36th edition of the TotalEnergies AFCON in early 2027, building on the experience of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), which was held across the three countries in February 2025.

Enjoying this article? Subscribe for unlimited access to premium sports coverage.
View Plans

The newly constituted committee will be chaired by veteran sports administrator Nicholas Musonye, with FKF President Hussein Mohammed serving as vice chairperson.

Other notable members of the team include veteran football administrator Dan Shikanda, KBC Managing Director Agnes Kalekye, FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga, and Kenya Tourism Board CEO June Chepkemei, reflecting a blend of expertise from sports, media, and tourism sectors.

The secretariat, domiciled at Talanta Plaza in Nairobi, will be headed by Antony Emmanuel Inzahuli Lung’aho.

"This multi-sectoral approach is deliberate, ensuring that our institutional capacity is fully aligned with the scale, complexity, and urgency of preparations required to host a tournament of AFCON's magnitude," Mvurya said.

The appointments took effect on March 27, 2026, with the new committee replacing the earlier multi-agency team established to oversee the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN).

According to the notice, the LOC will be responsible for mobilising stakeholder collaboration, overseeing governance structures and coordinating logistical frameworks to ensure the tournament meets international standards.

Its mandate spans the development of a comprehensive tournament roadmap, budget preparation and resource mobilisation, as well as monitoring timelines and reporting progress to CAF and the government.

The committee will also oversee the renovation and upgrade of stadiums to meet CAF requirements, construction of new sports facilities and improvements to critical infrastructure, including transport and telecommunications.

Further responsibilities include organising match schedules and venue allocations in collaboration with CAF, managing ticketing and fan zones, and ensuring global broadcast standards for live match coverage.

Security planning, media coordination and international promotion campaigns are also central to the LOC’s role, alongside securing sponsorships and partnerships to support the tournament financially and commercially.

The committee is additionally tasked with coordinating accommodation and transport for teams and officials, recruiting and managing volunteers and ensuring inclusivity and youth empowerment opportunities throughout the tournament’s planning and execution.

In partnership with the Kenya Tourism Board, the LOC will also market Kenya’s tourism and cultural heritage to a global audience during the tournament.

Funding for the committee will be drawn from government allocations as well as donations and endowments, with the LOC granted autonomy to develop its own operational procedures and guiding principles.

Mvurya said the host nations will convene next month to deliberate on the establishment of a harmonised framework to support the implementation of visa facilitation mechanisms to enable ease of movement for teams, officials, fans and stakeholders across the borders.

This will include coordinated tax exemptions, customs facilitation measures and streamlining clearance procedures for all goods, services and activities directly related to AFCON.