Queens of Africa Survive Bus Accident

How Scary!

Glad no one got hurt.

Knowing Kenya’s volleyball teams don’t have the luxury to travel by plane, they have to take the bus to compete in domestic and continental tournaments. We hope after this incident, the African Federation will plan and create safer travel accommodations for their various national teams.

From nation.co.ke

The national women’s volleyball team – the African champions – had a difficult time on their way to Kampala for a World Cup qualifying tournament on Tuesday night.

The girls – who have time and again brought glory to the nation with their impressive performances in the Africa Nations Cup – survived an accident on the Nairobi-Naivasha Highway.

Travelling by road (they do not have the luxury of air travel like their football counterparts), the African champions’ bus was slightly hit by a trailer heading to Mombasa at Kikuyu, delaying their journey for two hours.

Luckily, no one was injured in the accident. The team managed to proceed on their Modern Express Bus, reaching the Busia boarder at 8am Wednesday and Kampala shortly before 1pm. “It was a minor accident and we are all fine,” head coach David Lung’aho told Daily Nation Sport.

INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS

The team will be participating in the 2014 World Championships Africa Zone Five qualification tournament. Four national teams, Kenya, Egypt, Uganda and Tanzania – will be battling in the championship that starts on Thursday at the MTN Arena in Lugogo.

Only two teams qualify from the event for the Continental final qualification due for January next year. Kenya will have little time to rest as they take to the courts against Egypt whom they beat in the Sub-Zonal final today at 6pm.

Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) chairman Waithaka Kioni disclosed that they have gone it alone in providing for both the senior men and women’s teams beside the junior women’s team meeting their international obligations.

Kioni said they didn’t receive assistance from the government when they hosted the 2014 World Championships Africa Sub Zonal women’s qualification besides sending the men’s team for a similar competition in Uganda in August.

Kioni disclosed that they incurred a deficit of Sh3 million when they hoisted the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in September in Nairobi.

“We had to put the tam in residential camp at Sports View Hotel. We also had to foot the bill for the usage of the gymnasium in Kasarani besides paying players’ allowances,” said Kioni. “We have requested for assistance from the government but they always say we are later. I always wonder how.”

GLORY

Kenya retained the Africa Cup of Nations after beating all their opponents- Egypt, Tunisia, Cameroon, Senegal and Algeria.

Kioni said they couldn’t have afforded to book a flight for the women’s team with tickets alone costing Sh600,000 to Kampala. “We also have the men’s team that will be leaving to Kigali in three weeks since can’t afford over Sh700, 000 for air tickets. It has been a huge burden for us.

The KVF chairman said the government only paid allowances for the junior players, who participated in the World Under-23 Championships in Mexico in addition to the air ticket for one coach.

He noted that it’s a pity that their rivals enjoy full financial and material support from their government when it comes to matters national team.

“We shouldn’t go far. In Rwanda, it’s no longer a federation’s issue when it’s come to the national team,” Kioni said.

“The training facilities including a van are provided for the team but that has been a pipedream here.”

Kenya team included some of the Kenya Prisons and the National Under-23 team players who arrived in the country on Monday and Tuesday from Switzerland and Mexico respectively.

Those from the Under-23 team are Gaudencia Makokha (Nairobi Water) and Violet Makuto (Kenya Prisons).

Be Safe Everyone!