Kenya women’s volleyball team captain Meldina Sande is confident new liberos Josephine Kataa and Sharon Shakakhola Arusei will rise to the occasion despite their lack of experience as Malkia Strikers prepare to defend their African title.
The 2026 CAVB African Women’s Nations Championship will be held from August 23 to September 5 at Kasarani Indoor Arena and Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi, with the winner earning Africa’s solitary ticket to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Kataa, who plays for KCB Women’s Volleyball Team, and Arusei of Kenya Pipeline, the National League champions, earned their first Malkia Strikers call-ups after first-choice libero Celestine Nyongesa was ruled out with a hand injury sustained during this year’s African Clubs Championship in Egypt. Nyongesa featured at last year’s FIVB World Championship in Thailand.
Both Kataa and Arusei played for their clubs at the African Clubs Championship in Egypt earlier this year, while Arusei also represented Kenya Under-20 women at the African Nations Championship in Cameroon last year.
“The two liberos are new in the team and that makes it interesting because our opponents do not know anything about them, which can work for or against us,” explained Sande, an outside hitter who plays for Rwanda National Police. “They have shown growth and confidence in training and I’m optimistic they will deliver. It’s their golden chance to show their worth.”
“While we don’t have experience in the libero position, I’m happy that the remaining departments have regular players and therefore we remain positive of a better ending,” she added.
Sande acknowledged the pressure of playing at home, but noted that Kenya have no choice, but to defend the title they won in Cameroon in 2023.
“The pressure that comes with being the host is on another level. We have no choice but to step up,” she observed, adding that training was progressing well despite a few hiccups. She also urged the Federation and Ministry of Sports to release players’ allowances to enable them to settle and focus on the championship.
Last edition’s runners-up Egypt, and Mali, who came ninth, are expected to arrive in Nairobi early Sunday, with their flights scheduled to land at 1:55am and 1:40am respectively at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Travelling by road, Uganda’s Lady Cranes are expected on Saturday morning, having qualified after winning the CAVB Zonal V Nations Championship Qualifiers in June. They defeated Burundi and South Sudan in the three-team round-robin event.
DR Congo and Senegal have already pitched camp in Kenya.
Egypt and Cameroon are expected to provide Kenya’s toughest challenge. In the 2023 edition in Yaoundé, Kenya won the title ahead of Egypt and hosts Cameroon in a 12-team tournament.
