NAIROBI, Kenya, May 12 – Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) have received a backlash after naming its top officials as members of the technical bench of the women’s team to this summer’s Olympics in Paris.
KVF president Charles Nyaberi has been designated as the team manager for Malkia Strikers whereas his deputy, Paul Bitok, has been named as assistant to coach Japheth Munala.
Sources close to Capital Sports had in the past few weeks intimated that the names had been submitted to National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) and the same was confirmed on Sunday evening via KVF’s Facebook page.
The Internet was ablaze with missiles flying from all corners against the officials, who were mostly accused of greed.
“The chairman himself will be the team manager, while his deputy, Paul Bitok, will be assistant coach, and will report to the head coach. Corruption,” longstanding sports scribe Saddique Shaban said on X.
Another social media user suggested that the idea behind the inclusion of the officials on the technical bench was the pursuit of per diems.
He further offered a reason as to why the FIVB Empowerment Program prematurely ended.
“Now let KVF have their way. We’ve lost the FIVB Empowerment Programme because some buffoons want to go to Paris. Awuoro perdiem!”Japheth Mutinda said.
“Nyaberi is KVF President, Bitok is KVF Vice President. But they’ve named themselves TM, Asst. Coach. To earn allowances for Paris Olympics? Reason the FIVB coaching grant was cancelled? A chance for suits to eat at expense of the sport, young athletes?” another longstanding journalist Warothe Kiru posed.
The latest furore comes on the back of another one after the federation elected not to continue with the Ksh 88 million Empowerment Programme from the international federation.
The programme, which began in the run-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was intended to enable KVF improve the technical capacity of various stakeholders, including coaches.
Under the tutelage of renowned Brazilian coach Luizomar de Moura, Malkia Strikers made significant strides including a first-ever win at the 2022 FIVB World Championships in the Netherlands as well as a continental crown for the first time since 2015.
