Kenya’s National Women’s Volleyball Team, the Malkia Strikers, are set to face Germany on Saturday, August 23, in the ongoing World Championships in Thailand. However, the players say they are worried about the welfare of their families back home in Kenya.
The team revealed that, despite being promised allowances to cover their travel needs and support their families during the tournament, the money has yet to be disbursed.
In a video shared online, the Strikers said that as they prepared for their opening match, they were also grappling with the harsh reality of unpaid allowances, leaving them anxious about those they left behind.
According to the players, their struggles began even before departure. While training in Kenya, they alleged they were briefly locked out of camp because they could not raise money.
After the unfulfilled promises, the team was allegedly forced to trim its squad from 20 players to 16. With the intervention of sponsors, they were eventually able to resume training.
“The information we were getting from the team’s deputy president was that there was no money to get us to camp. Eventually, sponsors intervened, and we got into the camp,” the Strikers revealed.
According to the team, the Ministry of Sports had committed to disbursing allowances before the team departed for the championship. A meeting with Sports Cabinet Secretary CS Salim Mvurya before they travelled seemed promising, and the best platform to air their grievances.
However, their plans to let the CS in on the situation were thwarted by their coach, who blocked them from informing him.
"The promise was that before we travel, we were supposed to get all our allowances paid into our accounts; however, it never happened. We are told they are waiting for the Ministry, CS Mvurya met us, but we were stopped from telling him his grievances,’’ the teammates continued.
The team members are calling on the relevant stakeholders to intervene and ensure they get the allowances as promised.
“It’s hard to give your best on the court when your mind is back home, worrying about whether your children have food or if your landlord will lock the door,” the team decried.
The Malkia Strikers have long been a source of national pride, winning multiple African championships and qualifying for global tournaments against the odds; however, their plight now paints a picture of neglect.
Their concerns come at a time when President William Ruto has taken an interest in sports. The president has placed millions as a reward for the Harambee Stars currently participating in the African Nations Championship.
