Nicholas Musonye Insists 2027 AFCON Will Not Be Affected by Kenya's General Elections: 'It Will Be Very Sweet'

The chairman of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations Local Organising Committee, Nicholas Musonye, has reassured stakeholders that Kenya’s general elections will not interfere with preparations for the continental tournament.

The 2027 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations is set to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, marking a historic first for the East African region.

Some stakeholders raised concerns that Kenya’s 2027 election calendar could disrupt logistics, security planning, or overall tournament organisation.

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Addressing those fears, Nicholas Musonye maintained that adequate structures are already being put in place to ensure the smooth delivery of the competition. He emphasised that national events such as elections are managed within clear constitutional timelines and should not conflict with continental sporting commitments of this magnitude.

His remarks echo earlier assurances from Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), who previously stated that the tournament schedule had been carefully considered and would proceed as planned regardless of Kenya’s political calendar.

Speaking during an interview with Sporty FM, Nicholas Musonye expressed confidence that the country’s democratic process would not interfere with preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

Musonye noted that Kenya has conducted regular polls since independence in 1963, and national activities have always continued regardless of the political season. He pointed out that the country has a long-standing democratic tradition anchored in its Constitution, which provides clear frameworks for managing transitions without paralysing normal life.

Nicholas Musonye argued that it would be misguided to assume that sporting activities would grind to a halt because of campaigns or voting. According to him, football matches and other social events would proceed as scheduled, adding that the tournament atmosphere could even benefit from the heightened national engagement that comes with an election year.

He suggested that supporters attending political rallies could just as easily turn up at stadiums to enjoy matches, reinforcing the idea that daily life does not freeze during such periods.

“We have had elections since 1963. Has life ever stopped? Throughout, you know, we are the only country in Africa, maybe, that has contested elections. We believe in our constitution because of our civilisation. During an election, does life stop?” Nicholas Musonye asked.

“Does life stop? Does it? So, who tells you that during election time, life will stop? Football will be played. In fact, it will be very sweet. People will be coming from the rallies and will come and watch football. So life will continue. And I'm sure we will not have any problem during the election at all. Yeah, that one Kenyans must know.

“Yeah, we are mature people. We have gone through many stages of civilisation. We know what we want. We know what our country wants. We shall have peace. We shall have a good AFCON, and it will be one of the best. So people should not worry about that one. No, they should not worry.”