Musonye dismisses claims of govt-issued CHAN tickets
By William Muthama, August 12, 2025The Chairman of the 2024 CHAN Local Organising Committee (LOC), Nicholas Musonye, has moved to dispel confusion over ticketing for the ongoing tournament, firmly denying that the government had any role in issuing tickets.
Musonye emphasised that all ticketing operations were strictly under the purview of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the LOC, and the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), with no hidden quotas for government offices or political leaders.
“There are no government tickets on the map. The tickets are being handled by CAF’s marketing team. That must be clear,” Musonye stated.
His remarks follow the circulation of a video showing politicians holding large bundles of tickets and offering to distribute them to fans, sparking speculation about preferential access ahead of the continental football tournament.
He stressed that any tickets sold outside the official distribution channels should be treated as counterfeit.
“Anyone selling tickets on the outskirts of the stadium is an illegal enemy,” he warned, adding that fans should only purchase from CAF-approved outlets.
Security and crowd control
The LOC boss also weighed in on the chaotic scenes witnessed outside one of the stadiums when hundreds of fans without valid tickets stormed the gates. Some critics blamed police for being too passive, but Musonye defended the officers, saying they acted in line with instructions to prioritise public safety.
“When a thousand people are mobilised and they run towards police, and you tell the police, ‘Don’t use force,’ what do you want them to do?” he posed.
Musonye revealed that the LOC had directed security personnel to avoid heavy-handed tactics, particularly where children and families were involved.
“We have told the police, don’t harass families. We want Kenyans to enjoy this game,” he explained.
CAF imposes restrictions
The direction follows chaotic scenes on Sunday that resulted in infrastructural damage at the recently renovated Moi International Sports Centre, triggering a raft of sanctions from CAF.
The continental body imposed a capacity restriction at Kasarani, directing the ticket vendor to sell only 27,000 tickets, 60 per cent of the stadium’s capacity.
CAF further directed that entry be limited to e-ticket holders and instructed the LOC and government to launch a public media campaign reinforcing safety protocols and entry requirements.
Failure to abide by the directives, CAF warned, could lead to more serious sanctions, including the consideration of alternative venues for future matches to be hosted in Kenya.