Kenya Pushes to End Africa's Long Wait to Host the Commonwealth Games: 'We Have What It Takes'

Kenya has officially declared its readiness to bring the Commonwealth Games to African soil for the first time in history.

The president of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya, Shadrack Maluki and Sports CS Salim Mvurya have voiced strong confidence in the country’s capability to stage the prestigious multi-sport event, citing existing world-class sporting infrastructure, elite athletic talent, and strong political goodwill.

Since the inception of the Commonwealth Games in 1930, then known as the British Empire Games in Hamilton, Canada, the event has been hosted across Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, New Zealand, India, Malaysia, and Jamaica.

However, despite being home to some of the most dominant athletic powerhouses in the movement, the African continent has never hosted an edition of the Games.

South Africa’s Durban was awarded the 2022 hosting rights, but the city was stripped of the event in 2017 due to financial constraints and missed deadlines, leading Birmingham, England, to step in as the replacement host. Following Birmingham 2022, the Scottish city of Glasgow took over hosting duties for the 2026 Games.

This historical exclusion remains a major point of discussion among African sports leaders, who argue that the continent is long overdue to welcome the Commonwealth sporting family.

Shadrack Maluki emphasised that Kenya possesses all the vital components required to stage a world-class global showpiece, with the only missing piece being the opportunity itself.

“We have what it takes; the infrastructure is there, athletes are there but what we do not have is the opportunity to host Commonwealth Games,” stated Maluki.

Echoing these sentiments, CS Salim Mvurya reiterated the government's unwavering commitment to bringing the event to East Africa.

He noted that while other regional contenders have expressed interest, Kenya stands fully prepared to step up whenever called upon.

“The next Commonwealth Games should be organised in Africa. I know Nigeria has applied but Kenya is ready. We can even organise at a short notice,” Mvurya asserted.

He further underscored that Kenya’s sporting legacy and modern facility developments make a compelling case for a future bid.

“We have the goodwill, infrastructure and profile as a global sporting country and at some point, we will place our bid to host the Commonwealth Games,” he added.

Kenya’s confidence rests on its proven track record of successfully staging major international sporting events.

Nairobi has previously hosted global track and field competitions, including the 2017 World Athletics U18 Championships and the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships at the Kasarani Stadium, alongside recurring legs of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series (Kip Keino Classic) and the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally in Naivasha.

Furthermore, ongoing stadium upgrades across the country, driven by Kenya’s co-hosting responsibilities for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Uganda and Tanzania, are set to deliver state-of-the-art facilities.