Table of Contents
- The much-awaited Kenya vs Zambia clash on Sunday comes with major developments
- Kenya will face off with Zambia in Group A after triumphing in the last two matches
- The Stars biggest match was last Sunday when they faced African champions, the Atlas Lions
The much-awaited Kenya vs Zambia clash on Sunday comes with major developments as CHAN 2024 takes shape.
Kenya will face off with Zambia in Group A after triumphing in the last two matches. Harambee Stars won its opening match 1-0 against DR Congo.
It drew 1-1 with Angola in its second match. The Stars’ biggest match was last Sunday when they faced African champions, the Atlas Lions of Morocco.
However, they beat Morocco 1-0 to emerge as the winners of the match. Kenya leads in Group A with seven points so far.
Developments Ahead of Kenya Vs Zambia Match
Following Kenya vs Morocco debacle, Kenya has been in the eye of a storm with the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Here is a breakdown of the major happenings ahead of Kenya vs Zambia match.
CAF Fine
Harambee Stars celebrate their goal against Morocco. Kenya won 1-0. Photo/William Ruto
CAF slapped Football Kenya Federation (FKF) with a Ksh6.45 million ($50,000) fine due to safety and security lapses witnessed during the Morocco clash.
CAF said that FKF failed in its mandate of securing and making the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani safe for everyone.
In statement on Wednesday, CAF warned FKF that failure to meet and enforce all regulations puts Kenya at risk of being banned from hosting such future tournaments.
Further, that a slip in crowd control may lead to the eventual relocation of all Harambee Stars matches to a secure venue.
CAF Disciplinary Board advised Kenya to come up with effective crowd control measures. These measures must that include road closure on major roads leading to the venue and controlled movement and access to the venue.
The board urged FKF to deploy sufficient security personnel inside the stadium. Already, the government has announced that it will increase security personnel at the stadium.
It will also limit access to only those with valid tickets to attend the match.
However, the $50,000 fine won’t prevent Kenya vs Zambia match on August 17. CAF gave Kenya 60 days to pay the fine. It will be the second fine Kenya pays for safety lapses during CHAN 2024.
FKF was fined Ksh2.5 million due to massive security lapses witnessed during the Kenya vs DR Congo opening game.
Designated Fan Zones
Harambee Stars fans at the Kasarani Stadium during a match against Morocco. Stars beat Morocco’s Atlas Lions 1-0 despite the high hopes the Lions had in winning the match. Photo/William Ruto
Following the fine by CAF’s Disciplinary Board, the government through the Sports Ministry designated six fan zones for Stars supporters.
Sports Cabinet Secretary announced on Wednesday the following places will be the official fan zones on Sunday during the Kenya vs Zambia match:
- Uhuru Park
- Lucky Summer-Ngomo
- Dandora Stadium
- Kibera DC Grounds
- Jacaranda Grounds
- Utalii
Mvurya explained that all the zones are located in the outskirts of the city and will ease the pressure of crowd control at Kasarani Stadium during the match.
He further said that it’s the government’s way of promoting inclusivity for all football fans who would not afford tickets for the match.
The Sports CS noted that these zones will bring the football experience closer to the people. He appealed to these fans to behave well wherever they will be watching the match from.
Kenya’s Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya. Photo/Salim Mvurya
The CS held a high-level security meeting ahead of the Kenya vs Zambia match. This meeting was informed the CAF fine after security lapses on Sunday during Morocco’s clash with Harambee Stars.
Rowdy fans without match tickets broke through gates leading to the venue and also trespassed into restricted areas, such as the media centres.
The disciplinary board took issue with the Kenyan security team over its aggressive handling of the security breach. It condemned the use of teargas to disperse the crowd.
