Kisumu, Uasin Gishu para-volley teams to represent Kenya at Africa Club Championships

Kisumu men’s team emerged champions of the Mombasa Sitting Volleyball Inter-County Championship after edging out Uasin Gishu 3–2 in a thrilling final played at Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa on Sunday, and will represent Kenya at the Africa Club Championship scheduled for December in Nigeria.

They will be joined by Uasin Gishu who won the women’s category with 18 points. Nairobi finished second with 15 points, while Kisumu women placed third with 12 points after the round-robin matches.

In the men’s contest, Kisumu dominated the opening two sets, winning 25–20 and 25–20, before Uasin Gishu staged a comeback to take the third and fourth sets 25–22 and 25–17. However, Kisumu regained composure in the decisive fifth set, sealing a 15–10 victory to clinch the title.

Kisumu head coach Len Charles Ndago, who also serves as the national sitting volleyball team coach, praised his team’s performance, noting they deserved the victory.

“We prepared well, and as I promised our fans earlier, we were going to win the Mombasa Championship and represent Kenya in Nigeria,” he said.

“I’m happy for my players. They executed every plan we had. The sport has really grown, and we are building a strong national team.”

In the semi-finals, Uasin Gishu advanced smoothly to the final after defending champions Siaya failed to field enough players.

In the other semi-final, Kisumu battled past Laikipia in a tightly contested 3–2 victory. Kisumu took the first set 26–24, but Laikipia responded strongly to win the second and third sets 28–26 and 25–15. Kisumu then bounced back to claim the fourth set 25–16 before sealing the match with a 15–13 win in the fifth set.

Kenya ParaVolley Secretary General Justus Katumo congratulated all teams for their efforts.

“It was a tough outing for all the teams, and I can confidently say that the sport has really grown in Kenya,” he said.

“I urge all the winners to step up, continue training hard, and successfully represent Kenya in Nigeria.”

Mombasa County played a key role in supporting the tournament, sponsoring trophies, medals, and cash awards for the winning teams.

Mombasa County Chief Executive Committee Member for Sports, Jonathan Wepukhulu, commended the teams and reaffirmed the county’s commitment to developing the sport.

“We had to step in and help the tournament reach greater heights. The governor values special needs groups, and we are committed to improving the Mombasa team, including securing a qualified coach,” he said.

A total of 13 counties participated in the championship, featuring 13 men’s teams and eight women’s teams.