NAIROBI: Kenya is hoping to become to the first African country to host an Olympic Games, with government officials being quoted as saying the Kenyan capital will bid for the 2024 Games. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Wednesday said that he would like to see Nairobi bid for the Games. “Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, speaking at the Kenya National House today, announced that the Republic of Kenya will be starting the process of pitching to host the Games of the 33rd Olympiad in 2024,” a Kenya House announcement said. “If successful, these Games will be the first ever held in Africa.” Africa has made bids in the past, with the most recent coming from Egypt's Cairo. That bid was unsuccessful as the 2008 Olympics went to Beijing. South Africa's Cape Town made a bid for the 2004 Olympics that ended up going to Athens. The 2016 Olympics will be the first Games held in South America as Rio de Janeiro will host. Tokyo, Madrid, and Istanbul are the three cities bidding for the 2020 Olympics. That decision will come next year. The 2024 Games will be decided in 2017, with campaigning to open two years ahead of the voting.
