Esther Mutinda's arrival boosted the Kenya Women's Volleyball Team, Malkia Strikers, as preparations for the 2027 CAVB Women's African Nations Volleyball Championship intensify at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, Nairobi on Wednesday.
The experienced setter linked up with the squad a day after training camp opened, leaving outside hitter Milka Akinyi as the only player yet to report. Aluor Girls High School student Akinyi was also unavailable when the players assembled on Tuesday, but is expected soon after schools close for August holidays.
Head coach Geoffrey Omondi oversaw a light training session as the African giants began fine-tuning their preparations for the continental showpiece, scheduled for August 23 to September 5 at the Kasarani Indoor Arena and Ulinzi Sports Complex.
With the championship back in Kenya for the first time since 2015, Malkia Strikers will be aiming to successfully defend the African title on home soil. The tournament also serves as a qualification pathway to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Sixteen nations have confirmed participation: Egypt, Cameroon, Rwanda, Algeria, Nigeria, Morocco, Uganda, Mali, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Senegal, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Zambia and hosts Kenya. DR Congo, which is handled by a Kenyan technical bench including head coach Paul Gitau, will be the first team to arrive. Sources say the Congolese plan to jet into Nairobi in early August.
Malkia Strikers' technical bench is expected to trim the provisional squad by seven players two weeks before the championship.
Kenya's provisional squad comprises Emmaculate Nekesa, Gladys Ekaru, Marianne Sokoiyo and Veronica Adhiambo (Kenya Pipeline Corporation); Fridah Boke, Esther Mutinda, Marlene Terry, Deborah Jesang, Belinda Baraza, Pauline Chemutai, Juliana Namutira and Josephine Kataa (KCB Bank); Mercy Iminza, Caroline Sirengo, Sarah Namisi, Jemima Siang'u and Daisy Letting (Directorate of Criminal Investigation); Lorine Chebet, Ann Lowem, Pauline Etoo, Sharon Sandui and Sheila Khasandi (Prisons Kenya); Linar Achieng (APR Rwanda), Meldina Sande (Police Rwanda) and Milka Akinyi (KPC/Aluor Girls)
The technical bench is headed by Omondi, assisted by David Muthui and Patrick Sang, with Brackcides Agala serving as statistician, Bella Conceptor as physiotherapist, Neddy Kilimoh as team manager and Paul Bitok as head of delegation.
