Kenya’s national women’s volleyball team, the Malkia Strikers, are heading into the World Championships in Thailand under a cloud of financial uncertainty after revealing they have not received their promised allowances.
The team, who face Germany on Saturday, August 23, said they are worried about the welfare of their families back home. They disclosed that despite assurances from the Ministry of Sports, the funds to cater for travel and family upkeep remain unpaid.
In a video shared online, players expressed frustration that as they prepare to represent Kenya on the global stage, they are also battling anxiety over unmet obligations.
Their troubles, they said, began even before departure. At one point, they were briefly locked out of camp for failing to raise funds. The squad was also trimmed from 20 players to 16, before sponsors intervened to salvage the situation.
“The information we were getting from the team’s deputy president was that there was no money to get us to camp. Eventually, sponsors intervened, and we got into the camp,” the players said.
The athletes added that they were promised allowances would be deposited before departure. Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya met the squad prior to travel, but the players claim they were stopped by their coach from raising their grievances directly with him.
“The promise was that before we travel, we were supposed to get all our allowances paid into our accounts; however, it never happened,” they lamented.
The players are now urging authorities to intervene, saying their focus on the court is being undermined by concerns over families struggling with rent and food back home.
“It’s hard to give your best on the court when your mind is back home, worrying about whether your children have food or if your landlord will lock the door,” the team appealed.
The Malkia Strikers, who have consistently lifted Kenya’s flag in continental and global competitions, now find themselves pleading for the very support that enables them to perform.
Their concerns come at a time when President William Ruto has pledged significant incentives for the Harambee Stars, currently competing at the African Nations Championship.
