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Kenya Volleyball President
supports East African Volleyball
Nairobi, Kenya, January 25-: As the new sporting season gets
underway in East and Central Africa after the Christmas and New
Year break, focus will be on the regional volleyball body.
This is so since volleyball is the only Olympic team sport where
East and Central Africa has been having a representative at
World Championships and World Cup stage with Kenya being the
region’s flag bearer in the two world events.
The East and Central Africa Volleyball Confederation (ECAVCO)
headed by Uganda’s Tom Omongole as President, Kenya’s Jacob
Owiti as Secretary General and Kenneth Tonui as Treasurer, has
received a major boost following an announcement by Kenya
Volleyball Federation (KVF) President Waithaka Kioni that they
will support the regional body. Tanzania’s Augustino Agapa is
2nd Vice President of ECAVCO while Kenya’s Walter Otieno is the
Sports Organizing Secretary.
“Kenya has been a shinning example of volleyball success not
only in East and Central Africa but on the whole of African
continent. As such, we shall be in the forefront of supporting
the activities of ECAVCO,” said Kioni.
While congratulating Owiti who is also a member of Sports
Commission in continental volleyball body CAVB, Otieno who is a
member of CAVB Technical Commission, former KVF President
Ibrahim Efumbi who is ECAVCO Vice President and Tonui who is
also KVF Treasurer for being elected to the regional volleyball
body, Kioni challenged them to keep Kenya’s name flying high.
Uganda’s Omongole is also a Vice President of CAVB.
“The Kenyans who are in the regional volleyball body have the
experience required to market and develop the sport in this
region with the support of their counterparts from Uganda.
Tanzania, Rwanda, Zanzibar and Burundi amongst others hence I am
appealing to them to hit the ground running so that East and
Central Africa can match their North and West African opponents
in volleyball among men and women,” Kioni said.
The KVF President called on local volleyball clubs to start
early preparations for the new season adding KVF has lined up a
series of seminars and clinics for coaches, referees, teachers,
team officials and administrators with the aim of improving
standards of the game in the country right from schools.
“I would like to thank FIVB and CAVB for their support. I would
also like to thank my colleagues in the KVF national office, the
government, our branches, players, clubs and schools for their
support and co-operation throughout last season. As we gear up
for the new season I want to appeal to all stakeholders in
volleyball to continue with the same spirit,” Kioni said and
commended the local media for their support in highlighting KVF
activities.
Meanwhile, ECAVCO Secretary General Jacob Owiti has stated that
once they receive calendars of activities from the various
member countries, they will be in a position to release this
year’s calendar of events for the regional body.
“ECAVCO is still waiting for member countries to submit their
calendars of events which will in turn guide us in making the
regional calendar,” Owiti said adding that they will ensure that
their activities are evenly spread amongst member countries
while taking into consideration both FIVB and CAVB Calendar of
events.
He pointed out that at present they were busy making final
touches to the ECAVCO secretariat which will be based in Nairobi
adding that a meeting bringing together the ECAVCO Executive
Committee will be held soon during which vacant positions will
be filled and various sub-committees formed.
By Jack Kwemba, From Nairobi, Kenya |
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