Ahead of CAF Executive Committee’s announcement on who the hosts of the AFCON tournaments 2025 and 2027 will be, Fufa President Moses Magogo speaks with optimism about the East Africa Pamoja bid.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania submitted a joint bid to host the 2027 Afcon tournament and await on a decision to be made on Wednesday September 27 when the CAF Executive convenes in Cairo, Egypt.
In a heated exchange between him and Nigerian journalist Osasu Obayiuwana who gave the Pamoja bid no chance on X, formerly Twitter, Magogo gave all the reasons why it should be a success.
Obayiuwana says East Africa can’t be ready when two of the nations bidding don’t even have a standard stadium at the moment hosting their international games away from home.
“East Africa cannot be ready for AFCON in four years’ time,” Osasu replied to a post by Kenyan journalist Boniface Osano.
“Uganda doesn’t even have a stadium for Uganda Cranes matches at the moment. And you really want me to talk about Kenya? Only Tanzania has something to credibly talk about.”
In reply, Magogo told Osasu to “be informed that Uganda x 2 Kenya x 2 Tanzania x 2 have physically built stadia that are currently undergoing final phases of rehabilitation and that since 1976, CECAFA zone has not hosted this competition let alone the fact that Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania themselves have never,” to which Osasu replied that East Africa has to show they can host the tournament and also hinting at previous disappointments.
In the past, Kenya won bids to host Afcon (in the mid-90s) and the CHAN in 2018 but failed.
Magogo’s reply was that there has never been a joint bid like it is and also hinted at all three governments working together for this before showing pictures of ongoing works at Nakivubo and Namboole.
“EA has never submitted a bid. There is bigger opportunity than now when the 3 governments have resolved to host this competition.
“It will be a huge setback for EA if we do not get this bid. The momentum generated is unmatched. The 6 stadiums we already have them physically built. Other than Algeria, other bidders plan to construct.”
East Africa is up against Botswana, Egypt and Algeria and it will be a big milestone if the former won the rights and also pull it off.
Why is Magogo engaging this troll of a journalist?
Nigerians have only one or two credible journalists worth engaging with. This Osasu Obayiuwana is not one of them.
Truth be told East Africa not capable