FKF Vice President Doris Petra, delivering her remarks during the CAF Safe Stadium Initiative Workshop held on Tuesday 08, 2024 in Nairobi. Photo: Rodgers Ndengwa
In a significant step toward enhancing safety in African football, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) held the Safe Stadium Initiative Workshop In Nairobi bringing together 40 participants, including club representatives, stewards, police officers, and private security personnel.
The workshop which was held in Nairobi, is part of broader efforts to enhance stadium security as Kenya prepares to co-host the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in 2024 and bids for the AFCON 2027.
The beautiful occassion was graced by the FKF Vice President Doris Petra, who underlined the necessity of ensuring safety in Kenyan football stadiums, emphasizing that proper security management is essential as the sport continues to grow.
“We’ve done a lot of capacity building, but now we are venturing into our stadiums. It is important that we train and empower our people because safety begins with me and you,” said Petra.
The FKF vice president highlighted Kenya’s ambitions on the continental stage, with the country set to co-host CHAN alongside Uganda and Tanzania in February 2024. She expressed optimism about Kenya’s bid to host AFCON 2027, stating, “Our stadiums mean a lot to us, especially as we get ready to co-host CHAN and bid for AFCON 2027.
“We will continue building capacity locally and CAF will continue giving us more training as we prepare for these major tournaments.” She emphasized the critical role of the Kenyan government, which has promised to provide better grounds.
“We have a government that is supportive and has promised to give us better grounds, but we can’t have them doing well without proper security around,” she said, calling for joint efforts between security teams and football clubs. “The way you take up your responsibility means a lot to safety.”
FKF Vice President Doris Petra, pose for photo with the participants at the CAF Safe Stadium Initiative Workshop held on Tuesday 08, 2024 in Nairobi. Photo: Rodgers Ndengwa
Petra further reminded participants of their role as stewards of the game, ensuring safe spaces for players, spectators, and families alike.
“We are here as ambassadors of the game. It’s our responsibility to ensure safety in our matches so that our players and spectators are safe. We are determined to achieve a safe space for our families,” she affirmed.
The Head of CAF Safety and Security, Dr. Christian Emeruwa, delivered an in-depth address on the department’s mission and achievements. Reflecting on the establishment of the department on February 3, 2019, Emeruwa explained that CAF’s primary challenge at the time was the lack of coordination among competitions.
“We were given a mandate to develop systems that would improve safety operations of matches across Africa,” Emeruwa said. CAF’s response to this challenge was to develop its first Safety and Security Regulations, which are now used to measure and standardize operations across all CAF competitions. “Our goal is to ensure that we leave nothing unturned. After we conduct risk assessments, we come up with mitigation measures to prevent any unforeseen circumstances,” he explained.
Also in attendance was Austin Odour Otieno, the Safety and Security Officer at Tusker FC, who praised the workshop’s timing, especially with the CHAN and AFCON tournaments on the horizon.
“This workshop has come at a time when we are just preparing to host both CHAN and AFCON,” Otieno said. He pointed out that the training would help clubs develop clearer safety and security risk mitigation plans, which are crucial for the safety of fans and players. “This will be important since clubs can now have a clear security operational plan for their matches,” Otieno added.
The workshop laid the groundwork for a safer, more secure football environment, with both FKF and CAF determined to ensure that security standards remain a top priority.
The workshop which is being led by experienced CAF instructors Xolile Vilakati and Dickson Okello will be officially closed on Thursday by Dr Emeruwa.
