Kenya will waive visa fees for fans, media personnel and other individuals attending the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The decision is part of a broader plan to simplify cross-border movement during the two major continental events which will be co-hosted by the three East African Nations, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Uganda has already implemented a similar waiver and reports indicate that Tanzania will soon follow suit.
The development was announced by Nicholas Musonye, chairman of Kenya's Local Organising Committee (LOC), following the final Confederation of African Football (CAF) inspection in Nairobi on Saturday.
"Kenya has waived visa fees. People coming to watch CHAN or AFCON will not pay for a visa. They can move freely between Kenya, Uganda, and soon Tanzania, as long as they are here for football," Musonye said.
He, however, stressed that security checks will remain stringent despite the waiver.
"We cannot open our borders to everyone without scrutiny. Our security forces will remain vigilant. Even if you're coming from Congo, Egypt, Uganda or elsewhere, you must show documentation proving you're here for the competition. Security remains a top priority," said Musonye.
Kenya has announced a 30-man provisional squad for the 2024 CHAN tournament, which kicks off on August 2.
The tournament, limited to players active in their home domestic leagues, will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
With the Harambee Stars set to play their group matches on home soil, head coach Benni McCarthy has chosen a mix of seasoned veterans and promising newcomers eager to make an impact on the continental stage.
Kenya is placed in Group A alongside DR Congo, Angola, and Morocco. Their campaign begins on Sunday, August 3, against DR Congo at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani.
The team will then face Angola on Wednesday, August 6, before concluding the group phase against Morocco under the lights on Saturday, August 9, at 6:00 p.m.
Tanzania will host the opening match at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on 2 August, while Uganda will stage the third-place playoff at Mandela Stadium in Kampala.
CAF also confirmed that Zanzibar will be one of the official host venues. “Zanzibar’s Amaan Stadium recently staged a successful TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2024/25 final in May this year,” read a statement on the official CAF portal.
Group stage matches will be spread across four cities in the host nations.
Group A fixtures will be held in Nairobi, where hosts Kenya are grouped with Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, and Zambia.
Dar es Salaam will host Group B, which features Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic.
Group C matches will take place in Kampala, with Uganda drawn alongside Niger, Guinea, South Africa, and Algeria. Zanzibar’s Amaan Stadium will host Group D, made up of Senegal, Congo, Sudan, and Nigeria.
Kenya will host the final at Nairobi’s Kasarani Stadium.
