Nairobi: The KPA Men Volleyball Team has promised to clinch the title of this year's Men's African Volleyball Championship that will be held in Misurata, Libya.
According to Kenya News Agency, the 14-day continental showdown, organized by the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB), kicks off on April 17 and features 32 top-tier clubs from across Africa. KPA will represent Kenya alongside the General Service Unit (GSU) and Prisons Kenya.
This marks KPA's fifth appearance at the championship, having qualified after finishing third in the 2023/2024 Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) Men's National League Playoffs. Speaking during a flag-off ceremony held Sunday at Makupa Welfare Centre, KPA General Manager for Infrastructure Development, Eng. Mathews Amuti praised the team's progress and urged them to uphold professionalism and discipline while representing the country.
Last year, in a similar tournament that was held in Cairo, Egypt, KPA was among the top ten teams. 'We wish them the best and expect them to return with the trophy. Most of the team members are young players with plenty of experience, and the coaches are highly experienced volleyball players.'
KVF Deputy Treasurer Moses Mbuthia says the team is capable of turning the tables in Libya, despite the country's ongoing political upheavals. 'This is a team that did well last time; we expect them now to lift the trophy. Don't forget that we have a strong team in North Africa, but this team is equal to the task,' stated Mbuthia, who also donated a metallic first aid kit to the team.
KPA Men's Volleyball Coach James Ontere expressed gratitude to the management for the opportunity to train and support the team. The Coach says the team has been training vigorously for two weeks, which has boosted their morale and improved their performance.
'In Libya, the tournament will be tough because every team present is a champion in its own country. We are also champions in our country, so we will face teams from other nations,' Ontere said. 'The tournament will be tough, but according to the training and preparations we have made with my team, I suppose we are going to post good results,' he added.
The Team Captain, Dennis Omollo, says that with the intensive training, they will make some improvements in the tournament compared to the previous year's performance. 'The team spirit is high, and we are optimistic that we are going to get a good performance compared to last year,' Omollo said.