Shame as government snubs Senegal bound national team

What you need to know:

  • The contingent of 14 is a far cry from the original group of 17 that was to travel for the games after the government failed to provide funds in time

  • An angry Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) chairman Pual Otula Thursday said it was a big shame that the federation had to drop an assistant coach and two players from this important event

  • The team leaves the country on Thursday morning in two batches with the first group taking off via Ethiopian Airline at 5.00am while the next group will leave at 8.00 am aboard Kenya Airways

Only ten players and four officials will be leaving the country on Thursday morning for Dakar, Senegal for the upcoming Fiba women Africa Cup of Nations (Afrobasket) championships.

The contingent of 14 is a far cry from the original group of 17 that was to travel for the games after the government failed to provide funds in time.

An angry Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) chairman Pual Otula Thursday said it was a big shame that the federation had to drop an assistant coach and two players from this important event in order to send a lean team to Senegal and avoid a heavy fine from the world basketball governing body, Fiba.

“This is a big shame on the part of the government who keep blowing hot and cold. We have waited in vain and have therefore decided to resort to plan B to ensure we are not fined for confirming then failing to travel for the championships,” a disappointed Otula said.

According to Otula, the players who have been dropped and the assistant coach will be considered if the government finally honours its pledge to support the team.

Coach Ronnie Owino said he had dropped Salma Akinyi, Becky Nkatha, Natalie Mwangale and Melissa Akinyi from the initial squad of 14 who were in camp.

Seline Okumu, Rose Ouma and Felmas Koranga  who were part of the team that did duty for the country at the Zone Five qualifiers, had opted out of the team due to personal reasons.

Kenya is in group 'D' which also has Mozambique and Ivory Coast. Group 'A' is comprised of Senegal, Egypt and Ivory Coast while group 'B' has Nigeria, Cameroon and Tunisia. Group C has Mali, Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo.

The team leaves the country on Thursday morning in two batches with the first group taking off via Ethiopian Airline at 5.00am while the next group will leave at 8.00 am aboard Kenya Airways.

Those traveling are Samba Mjomba, Debra Obunga, Georgia Adhiambo, Silalei Shani, Belinda Okoth, Vilma Achieng, Mercy Wanyama, Hilda Indasi, Annrose Mandela and Betty Kananu.

Completing the travelling party are officials led by coach Ronnie Owino, team manager Maxim Milimu, a referee and a team doctor.