Malkia coach Omondi regrets Kenya's lost chance to host CAVB Championship

Kenya was scheduled to stage the regional tournament from February 8 to 16, but the hosting rights were withdrawn after the Volleyball Federation of Kenya (KVF) indicated it was not ready to host the event.

In a letter dated January 19, CAVB confirmed that the championships had been postponed as the body seeks an alternative host nation.

Omondi says the development denies Kenya a valuable opportunity to showcase local talent and assess players against top-level continental opposition.

“We would have liked to see most of our players competing at that level. With more clubs participating, it would have given us a clearer picture of how our players perform against foreign, international and professional players,” said Omondi, who also coaches the Kenya Pipeline women’s team, adding “it is unfortunate that we will not host the competition.”

KVF, however, cited tight timelines as a major setback in preparations. Vice president Paul Bitok explained that the short notice made it difficult to secure government funding in time.

“According to the Ministry of Sports regulations, funding requests must be submitted at least three months before a competition,” said Bitok. “Our focus now shifts to hosting the Africa Women’s Volleyball Championship later this year, for which preparations are already underway.”

Despite the setback, KVF maintains that efforts are now concentrated on ensuring successful hosting of upcoming continental events.