Kenyan esports gamers appeal for help ahead of global championships
Shirley Adema, Elinah Kemunto, Magdalene Mumbi, Yvonne Nkatha, Maria Kiuru and Barbara Maush
What you need to know:
- Kenyatta University gamers dominate the list, producing three out of eight.
- The championships are organised by the Global Esports Federation.
Eight games will represent Kenya in the 2022 Global Esports Games in Istanbul, Turkey from December 14 to 17.
The Kenyan team, which was named on Wednesday by the Esports Kenya Federation CEO Joseph Ojwang, will feature in three games; eFootball PES and Street Fighter V on PlayStation 5, and dota2 on the PC category.
The Kenyatta University trio of Shirley Adema, Yvonne Nkatha and Elinah Kemunto is joined by Barbara Maush of Strathmore University, Maria Kiuru of Horizon Esports and Magdalene Mumbi of Alpha Clan in the women’s dota 2 team, which is a 5v5 computer game.
The Kenyan ladies, the only Africans drawn in this category, will face Argentina, New Zealand, Great Britain, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and hosts Turkey in their debut at the global stage.
Marion Muthoni shall be flying the Kenyan flag in the Street Fighter V category, which has drawn participants from 41 other nations.
In the eFootball category, Co-operative University’s Evander “Viera” Maina will be battling out with opponents from 55 other nations in a 1v1 contest.
Other African nations set to take part in the eFootball category are Ghana, Nigeria, Libya, Tunisia, Namibia, Djibouti and Somalia.
PUBG Mobile is another game that has been included in the global championships but Kenya didn't make the cut.
Team Manager Ronny Lusigi is upbeat the team will perform well in the championships but called on the government and corporate bodies to help the team to participate in the event.
“Our team is capable. We have the best gamers in the nation and they are training hard everyday. However, we are short on resources. I urge the government and well-wishers to come on board and support us.”
