Kenya Prisons withdraw from African Clubs Championship
Sweden-based Kenya Ports Authority player Enock Mogeni (right) helps a teammate stretch during a training session at KPA Makande Hall in Mombasa on April 8, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Sweden-based Mogeni links up with KPA squad
- Lack of finances forces warders to pick on their women’s team to represent country in tourney
- GSU and KPA men will now represent the nation in the 12-day event.
Kenya Prisons have withdrawn their men's team from the African Clubs Championship set for April 16-28 in Tunis, Tunisia due to financial constraints.
Prisons alongside General Service Unit (GSU) and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) were to represent the country in the annual event after finishing in the top three in the 2019 Kenya Volleyball Federation National League.
Kenya Prisons Sports chairman David Kilundo confirmed the development.
“On Wednesday, Prisons Sport Council chairperson and Deputy Commissioner General Florence Omundi told me a decision had been reached to send one team based on performance. And they had settled on the women's team. I have since communicated the same information to KVF, who will later communicate to Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB).”
Prisons men finished third in the 2019 season, while their female counterparts retained the title.
GSU and KPA men will now represent the nation in the 12-day event.
Meanwhile, Sweden-based star Enock Mogeni was the latest player to join Kenya Ports Authority men’s training this week.
Mogeni, 24, who plays both on the right and left attack, joined the dockers on Tuesday. He plies his professional trade with Sodertelge VBK.
“I am happy that we now have a full house following the arrival of the vastly travelled Mogeni who will add a lot of value in our front line,” said KPA coach Sammy Mulinge.
He said there was now a lot of competition in the 17-player strong camp ahead of the final squad selection.
Mulinge, said the players’ fitness levels were high and the at their best saying his technical team, which also has assistant coach Samson Sunguti and trainer-cum-player James Ontere, was now working on the technical aspects of the game.
Elsewhere, KCB women are non-committal ahead of the April 19 to May 1 event of the same version.
KCB team manager Moses Kimani said they were yet to get confirmation on their participating from their mother company.
The bankers have not started any training camp of note with players training individually.
At the same time, Prisons women have recalled setter Florence Bosire to fill the gap left by Joy Lusenaka who training with the national team ahead of the Olympic Games.
Bosire will jostle for the starting slot with Herman Kipyegon.
Kilundo said: “We are glad to have Bosire's services. She has the experience and has played with the team before and is therefore very much at home.”
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) on Thursday announced yet another change in venues for the men and women's African Clubs Championship.
The annual events were initially scheduled for Cairo, Egypt before they were moved to Sousse, Tunisia after the Egyptians failed to confirm they would host the event in time. CAVB also cited the restrictions surrounding the coronavirus situation in Egypt.
The men's event, which was primed for April 16-28 in Sousse will now be held in Tunis while the women's tournament - which was set for April 19 to May 1 in Sousse - will now go down in Kelibia.
The dates for the two events remain unchanged.
