2024: Dull year for Kenyan volleyball as KVF makes costly blunders

Kenya's Mercy Moim in action for Malkia Strikers. [AFP]

It was a year like no other.

Infighting and blunders by Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) officials will see 2024 go down in history as one of the dullest years for Kenyan volleyball.

The year ended on a sad note with the demise of long serving Malkia Strikers setter and trainer Janet Wanja following a brave battle with gallbladder cancer.

The termination of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Empowerment Programme and internal wrangles over Malkia Strikers team manager to the Paris Olympics put KVF in the spotlight.

The discontinuity of the programme saw KVF part ways with the six Brazilian coaches who were seconded by FIVB as a way to help improve performance and change perception of African women volleyball at global stage.

Through the programme, FIVB had invested close to Sh88 million in Malkia Strikers since its preparations for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Games.

However, the demand for equal representation on the technical bench for the Paris Olympics was the deal-breaker for both sides as FIVB stood their ground offering two slots for local coaches.

KVF, who were pushing for three spots, rejected the offer and refused to sign the Memorandum of Understanding leading to the sudden end of the programme.

The negative impacts of ending the empowerment programme were felt almost immediately as Malkia Strikers lost the African Games title to Egypt in March. 

In January, Kenya suffered two defeats in the hands of Egypt during the Zone V qualifiers for the African Games and a semi-finals elimination.

The Malkia strikers finished third behind Tunisia and winners Egypt, the men’s national team Wafalme Stars were the biggest achievers, bagging silver behind winners Egypt.

With the FIVB coaches gone, veteran coach Japtheth Munala, assistant coach Josp Barasa and the late trainer Janet Wanja formed the Malkia Strikers technical bench at the Olympics, Africa Games and the qualifiers.

Kenya, who were making their fourth appearance at the Olympics, finished last in Group B after losing to Brazil, Poland and Japan.

KVF Secretary General Ismail Chege accepted that they were not spot-on in some of the decisions and could have done better.

“Maybe we should have done better, especially on the issue of the Olympics on who was to be the team manager. Going forward, we are keen to follow the right procedure and ensure that we avoid such pitfalls,” Chege said.

The infight between the two NEC officials, KVF president Charles Nyaberi and Vice Chair of Gender and Minority Miduda Waweru on who to manage the team at Paris also left a sour taste in the mouths of not only volleyball fraternity but the Ministry of Sports and National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) as well.

On the issue of the FIVB empowerment programme, Chege said that though it was true they had discontinued it, they were now in negotiations for a more lucrative deal that will also cater for the men’s national team Wafalme Stars.

Next year, Malkia Strikers will be competing at the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Women’s Volleyball World Championship set for August 22 to September 7 in Thailand.

Kenya, Egypt and Cameroon qualified for the event after finishing in the top three positions at the 2023 Women’s African Nations Volleyball Championship in Yaounde, Cameroon.

The championship is likely to determine Malkia Strikers' qualification to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games as Africa representatives, but they will be seeking the sole African ticket alongside Egypt, and Cameroon.

At Club level, the Kenyans performed fairly at the continental championships.

However, they only managed to secure bronze medals in the men and women’s categories.

Kenya Prisons men and Kenya Pipeline won their respective third-place play-off matches to bag bronze.

Kenya Prisons edged out Al Naser Sports Club of Libya 3-2 whereas the oilers dismissed local rivals KCB 3-1 to secure the podium finish.

Former Africa champions KCB and Kenya Prisons finished fourth and fifth in the women’s contests while Kenya Ports Authority and Equity Bank ranked seventh and 11th in the men’s competition. 

In June, Kenya Prisons men’s team and Kenya KCB women were crowned national league champions after triumphing in their respective play-offs.

Kenya Prisons beat rivals General Service Unit (GSU) 3-1 (19-25,25-19, 25-21, 25-19) to reclaim the title they had last won in 2016. 

Their victory in the new-look best-of-three series saw them earn an automatic qualification to the 2025 Men’s African Volleyball Club Championships set for Misurata, Libya.

The bankers successfully defended their women’s title after defeating former champions Kenya Prisons 3-0 (28-26, 26-24, 25-21) in the final.

KCB, Kenya Prisons and Kenya Pipeline, who finished third, secured their tickets to the women’s African Volleyball Club Championships set for Abuja, Nigeria. Kenyan teams will be looking to improve on last year’s performance.

While during the delayed 2020 Olympics Kenya women’s volleyball beach team pair of Brackcides Agala and Gaudencia Makokha defied odds to qualify for the Tokyo summer games, Kenya men and women’s teams failed to qualify for the Paris Games during the 2024 CAVB Continental Cup and Paris Olympic Games Qualifiers, Martil, Morocco in June.

There was nothing to write home about in beach volleyball as Kenyans failed to qualify for Paris Olympics.

Whereas the duo of former Malkia Strikers captain Brackcides Agala and Gaudencia Makokha defied all odds to secure their tickets to the 2020 Tokyo games, the men’s and women’s fell short during the 2024 CAVB Continental Cup and Paris Olympic Games Qualifiers held in Martil, Morocco.

Makokha, teaming up with Naomie Too, failed to seal her return to the quadrennial event with the men’s pair of Brian Melly and Edward Kibet also not making the cut.