Rwanda has kicked off renovation of four main stadiums which will stage the 2016 Africa Nations Championship (Chan).

Last week, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) announced that the continent’s second-tier event will take place from January 16 to February 7. Libya are the defending champions after stopping Ghana in last year’s final in South Africa.

In a letter to Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa) on Tuesday, Caf secretary-general Hicham El Amrani said: “We are informing you that 2016 Chan will be held from January 16 to February 7, 2016 and you are required to get back to us with the official venues for the tournament.

“You are also obliged to identify training grounds for each of the venues as well as pre-selected hotels which will accommodate participating teams and officials.”

Ferwafa secretary-general Olivier Mulindahabi said upon receipt of the letter: “We are excited about the confirmation dates and we look forward to hosting a successful tournament.”

Rwanda had nonetheless kicked off renovation of stadiums and training grounds in all the four venues. Works began at Amahoro National Stadium, Stade de Kigali and Rubavu Stadium mid this month while construction of Huye Stadium kicked off in October.

READ: Four stadiums to be closed for a 2016 Chan spruce-up

Ronald Semambo, an engineer overseeing the reconstruction of Umuganda Stadium for Roko Contractors, told Rwanda Today this week that modern stadiums to host the tournament will be ready this year.

“We have begun construction works and they are in high gear,” Semambo said. “If all the needed requirements are provided on time, we expect to have the stadiums ready by September.”

On a visit to the stadium last week, then Sports minister Joseph Habineza urged the contractors to respect the deadline of six months to have the stadium ready for use.

“There is a lot to be done but we have agreed to have everything completed by September and I believe they will be ready by that time,” Habineza said.

The construction project is managed by Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA).

Meet Caf specifications

The stadiums will undergo upgrade and rehabilitation works to meet Caf specifications for hosting a continental competition of Chan’s calibre.

RHA sent requests for offers to selected companies which will participate in the design and building of the stadiums. According to the authority, all rehabilitation works will be completed by the end of October.

Umuganda Stadium will also get a face-lift to enable it to accommodate 8,000 fans, up from 4,000. It will see an artificial turf laid, a parking arena and a training ground built and dressing rooms renovated.

Stade de Kigali will be expanded from 7,000 to 10,000-seater capacity, installed with floodlights, get an artificial turf and have dressing rooms refurbished.

Huye Stadium, which gets into its third phase of construction this year, will accommodate 10,000 fans while Kamena field will be improved to serve as a training field for teams.

Amahoro, the country’s largest stadium, will be given a face-lift in dressing rooms, a running track and a training ground.

Caf will send its inspection team in April to monitor progress.

Morocco, who were supposed to host the just-concluded 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, are set to send a draft contract to Ferwafa in a bid to partner with Rwanda in the preparations for Chan. Rwanda will also send a delegation to South Africa to establish a learning experience in a bid to organise a successful tournament.

This is the first time Rwanda is hosting a senior continental tournament, having staged the 2009 African Youth Championships and the 2011 Africa Under-17 championships which qualified the Junior Wasps to the 2011 Fifa U-17 World Cup in Mexico.

Rwanda will be the first East African nation to host Chan. Fellow Cecafa member Sudan were hosts in 2011 while Kenya’s turn will come in 2018.

The continental showpiece features 16 teams whose players turn out for clubs in their domestic leagues.

Cote d’Ivoire staged the inaugural edition in 2009 before Sudan (2011) and South Africa (2014) hosted the next two. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tunisia and Libya have each won the title in the respective years.