Regional handball tourney remains in Kenya

Kenya will still host the East and and Central Africa Handball Club Championships which were postponed to next year.

The annual event, which brings together top clubs from the region, was set for November 1 to 9 in Nairobi.

However, the competition for both men’s and women’s teams was reschedule to March owing to Covid-19.

The East and Central Africa Handball Federation Secretary General, Charles Omondi, General told Nation Sport that with the guidelines on the resumption of sports issued last Friday by the Sports Cabinet Secretary, Amina Mohamed,  clubs will not be ready for the event.

Omondi, who is also the Kenya Handball Federation (KHF)Fixtures Secretary said: "The guidelines have not allowed teams or players to train together. Handball requires group training for better results. We hope the ministry will soften its stand on this,” he said.

Handball is among the contact sport that remains suspended for fear of spread of Covid-19.

Kenya last hosted the championships in 2016 at the Nyayo National Stadium. Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and Nairobi Water Queens won the men’s and women’s titles.

During last year's event held at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda, Kenya was represented by champions Nairobi Water, but the men's team failed to honour the competition due to financial constraints.

KHF National League men's champions National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), Black Mamba and KDF were a no show, while Strathmore opted to participate in the Kenya University Sports Association (Kusa) games instead. NCPB women's team didn’t also participate.

Omondi also announced that the Commonwealth Zone Two and Three qualifiers that were to be held in Kenya next month, have been suspended because of the pandemic