Kenya’s volleyball team played in the final without full payments
Kenya’s women’s volleyball team, Malkia Strikers, played in the final of the African Women’s Nations Championship without receiving all of its due payments. This was reported by Nation Kenya in an editorial.
Problems before the tournament
The team began its training camp on July 26. Several days before the continental championship began on August 23 at the Moi International Sports Centre and the Ulinzi Sports Complex, players raised the issue of unpaid money and the lack of training equipment.
Some volleyball players had previously threatened to boycott the competition because of delayed payments. The National Olympic Committee of Kenya and the team’s sponsors provided financial support, but the payments remained outstanding. The publication also notes that some members of the young team who asked for the money to be paid before the final were warned against making public statements.
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Road to the final
Before the decisive match, Malkia Strikers won their group-stage matches against Mali and Zambia by identical 3:0 set scores. In the round of 16, the Kenyan team defeated Nigeria 3:0, beat Algeria 3:2 in the quarterfinals, and overcame Cameroon 3:0 in the semifinals.
These results took Kenya to its 15th continental final and secured the team’s participation in the 2027 FIVB Women’s World Championship. Before the final, the national team was also one step away from qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The editorial also said that Kenya’s Sports Minister Salim Mvurya and State Secretary Elijah Mwangi, who were at Kasarani Arena on Thursday, were to resolve the payment issue before the final match.
