Pay players’ allowances

It is regrettable that members of Kenya’s national volleyball team played in the final of the Women African Nations Championship without full payment of allowances owed to them.

Some of the players had earlier threatened to boycott the championship due to the delayed payment, which was not the best situation for the high-performing team to find itself.

The team that went into camp on July 26 had raised several concerns, including lack of allowances and training kit just days before the continental event that started August 23 at the Moi International Sports Centre and Ulinzi Sports Complex.

But the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) and the team’s sponsors stepped in with a financial boost even as allowances remained unpaid.

It is worrying that some members of the young squad who asked to be paid allowances before last night’s match were warned against speaking out.

Unpaid allowances

In the run-up to yesterday’s final, Malkia Strikers played their hearts out, winning all their pool matches against Mali and Zambia in identical 3-0 sets before overwhelming Nigeria 3-0 in the round of 16 match.

They marched on to beat Algeria in 3-2 sets in the quarter-finals, and overcame Cameroon in 3-0 sets to not only qualify for their 15th continental final but also for the 2027 FIVB Women’s World Cup.

Last evening, Kenya was a match away from qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya and Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi who were at Kasarani Indoor Arena on Thursday should have dealt with the matter of allowances way before the final match.

Malkia Strikers are among the few Kenyan teams that have regularly qualified for the Olympic Games, and the World Championships.