Kenya Port Authority (KPA) Managing Director Captain William Ruto led the ceremonial flag handover to the KPA volleyball squad as they prepare to travel to Egypt for the upcoming Men’s African Clubs Volleyball Championship.
Capt. Ruto’s presence at the Makande Sports Complex was aimed to uplift team spirits, expressing his unwavering belief in their capabilities and commitment to supporting them.
“Our squad is exceptionally talented. I will continue to support them, and I have full confidence that they can surpass last year’s performance, where they finished sixth,” Capt. Ruto stated.
Capt. Ruto expressed his delight that the team would not only represent Mombasa but also Kenya in the championship, hoping that the squad would bring pride to the nation.
“Our goal is to represent Kenya and bring pride to our nation. Reflecting on the success of our women’s basketball team, which secured silver in Egypt last year, we are eager to achieve similar success and bring home a trophy this time,” he said.
The team’s Head Coach, James Ontere, is confident that the club will secure a podium finish this year due to their extensive preparation.
“This year, we commenced our preparations much earlier compared to last year, and I can confidently say that the team is fully prepared. In just a week, we will be in Nairobi to participate in the KPC@50 Tournament, where we will use the competition as a measure to know our progress,” stated Ontere.
Ontere expressed gratitude to the KPA management for providing enough time and support for their preparation and also extended appreciation to Ruto for his visit.
“Our morale received a significant boost from his visit. It demonstrates that the management is with us, and we genuinely appreciate their support. We aim to surpass last year’s performance and bring home a trophy, which will serve as a token of gratitude to the management for their unwavering support,” said Ontere.
The team’s journey has shown remarkable progress when two years ago, they secured a ninth-place finish, and last year, they substantially improved to clinch fifth place in the championship held in Tunisia.
KPA and Equity will be the only sole representatives of Kenya at the prestigious annual continental club championship.
By Abdulrahman Allui
