Kioni was a towering figure in Kenyan sports

There are so many adjectives I could use to describe Waithaka Kioni, a man I have known for many years bound together by our love for sports.

He is a man who was a sporty character at heart judging from the passion and aura with which he engaged in discussions on how to improve the industry.

He may have been a volleyball specialist but Kioni was always ready and willing to lend a hand in the development of other disciplines. He was the chef de mission of the Olympics-bound Team Kenya at a time when the world was knee-deep in the Covid-19 crisis.

In the run-up to the quadrennial games that were held in Tokyo in July-August 2021, I worked closely with Kioni as the general manager and I must admit I learnt a lot from him as a sports administrator who has been in this industry longer than I.

It was quite humbling to see first-hand the dedication and precision with which Kioni fulfilled his responsibilities to ensure that the laid-out strategy for Team Kenya’s travel and accommodation in Japan was executed to perfection.

His servant leadership and teamwork culture ensured that no member of our delegation was exposed to the virus and that all athletes were able to train comfortably and compete with the best of the best from other countries.

His sudden demise is a huge loss to the sporting family in Kenya. This loss is incomparable, though, to huge dent he has left behind in his immediate family and friends who have lost a pillar of support and a dependable patriarch.

Indeed, Kioni was an example to all and inspired many who interacted with him to join sports as is evidenced by the fact that two of his sons are in the motorsports industry.

His contribution in this industry will live long. He founded the Kenya Pipeline Volleyball Club, who are the current women’s league champions, and won bronze at last year’s Africa Club Championships in Tunisia.

Under his leadership at the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF), Kenya has enjoyed a lot of success on the international front, such as the national women’s team, Malkia Strikers, who have been perennial competitors at the Olympics as well as the World Championships.

I will forever cherish the moments I had with Waithaka Kioni. It is my hope that more of him will emerge from our younger generation and steer this sports industry to the next level.

Fare thee well.

Korir is the chairman of Athletics Kenya’s Nairobi branch and Kip Keino Classic meet director. [email protected]