Bitok rallies Ruto, fans as Malkia Strikers eye 11th African title

Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) Deputy President Paul Bitok has called on President William Ruto to rally Kenyans behind Malkia Strikers as they prepare to defend their African title on home soil.

Speaking during training at the Kasarani Indoor Arena, Bitok urged the President to attend the African Nations Women’s Volleyball Championship as guest of honor and encourage fans to fill the venue.

“We sincerely thank our president, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, for his continued support. We are humbly requesting him to be our guest of honor and send out a message to all Kenyans to turn up at Kasarani in large numbers,” said Bitok.

“Their support will be vital as we seek to defend our 11th continental title and target qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics,” he added.

Bitok is confident Malkia Strikers are ready for the challenge after three weeks of intensive residential training.

“For Malkia Strikers, they are ready and working extremely hard to win this year's championship. They have been in camp for the last three weeks, and I strongly believe we are going to secure that 11th title,” he noted.

Kenya’s preparations for the continental showpiece are also progressing, with Bitok saying the venue setup is 70 per cent complete.

Repairs to the lighting, scoreboards, air conditioning and changing rooms at Kasarani and Ulinzi Complex have been undertaken with support from the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Defence.

Sixteen teams have confirmed participation, with Congo already in Nairobi for acclimatization, while Senegal, Algeria and Morocco are expected ahead of the tournament’s official opening on August 23.

Malkia Strikers are now in the final phase of preparations, with the technical bench expected to name the final 14-player squad ahead of the championship.