Why Kenya Pipeline is the team to beat at Zone V tournament

Kenya Pipeline team celebrate a point during the KVF National Women's League match with DCI at Nyayo National stadium on January 26, 2025.[Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Reigning Confederation of Africa Volleyball (CAVB) Zone V Clubs championship women champions Kenya Pipeline will settle for nothing less than the trophy.

Pipeline will be out to defend their title at the third edition of the Zone V event that is currently on at Lugogo Indoor Arena and Old Kampala Arena in Uganda.

The Oilers who beat Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-18) in the 2023 final held in Kigali, Rwanda must overcome eight other clubs to retain their title.

The Oilers have everything to play for because, in addition to defending their title, they also carry the hopes of the country being Kenya's only representatives at the championship. National League champions KCB Bank and Kenya Prisons gave the championship a wide berth.

Kenya will not be represented in the men's contest with the country's top clubs among them reigning national League champions Kenya Prisons seemingly focused on the CAVB Men's Africa Club Championship set for Misurata, Libya in April.

Pipeline coach Geoffrey Omondi said that his players had trained well and are ready for the challenge. "We have prepared well, our training has been intense and focused on areas that needed improvement based on our assessment of the matches we have played. The players are in high spirits and eager to showcase their talent. Our main objective is to bring the trophy home," Omondi said.

The event presents Omondi who is also eyeing the Malkia Strikers coaching job and is among the four coaches shortlisted tacticians an opportunity to prove his worth. In order to retain their title, the Kenyans will have to overcome stiff competition from hosts Uganda who will be fielding five teams, two Rwandese sides and one from Tanzania.

Uganda league champions KCB-Nkumba will lead the hosts onslaught, Rwanda National Police and APR will represent Rwanda while Tanzania Prisons Services will fly the Tanzanian flag.

Captain Gladys Ekaru's abilities will be put to test for the first time at the international level. Ekaru who will also be making her debut at the event having missed the 2023 edition received the armband at the beginning of this season from former skipper Rose Magoi who retired.

However, Ekaru is not new to leadership having anchored Kwanthanze Secondary School to the 2017 and 2018 national and East Africa titles. She won her 2017 gong on Ugandan soil then guided her side to the 2018 crown away in Rwanda.

She said that they have worked very hard in preparation for the event and are hoping that their efforts will come to fruition.

"We have trained hard and I hope that our efforts will pay off. We want to represent the country well and will also be using this event to gauge ourselves and also as buildup for the continental challenge," Ekaru said.