Kenya clubs pull out of regional netball championships

Kenya will not have a participant at the forthcoming East Africa Netball Club Championships slated for Dare salaam, Tanzania from May 12 to 21 it has now been confirmed.

Speaking to People Sport yesterday, Kenya Netball Federation (KNF) Secretary General Millicent Busolo said that the two institutional clubs that had committed for the regional tourney had to pull out during the final week of training citing inadequacy of finances.

“We had Ulinzi Swords and Prisons Kenya ready, but up until yesterday, both teams had to break camp because their respective administrators do not have enough financial resources that can be able to see both clubs through across the borders,” a dejected Busolo said, adding that Mt Kenya University (MKU) was the other option, but the institution’s bosses have only committed to compete in next season’s national league and local tournaments.

Tanzania Amateur Netball Association (TANA) chairperson Devotha Marwa has expressed confidence with the facilities at the Indoor National Stadium in Dar Es Salaam and with clubs already arriving to prepare for the championships, but said that the netball fraternity across East Africa is saddened by the fact that Kenya will not have a representative, an issue he added that should be addressed direly by the government if at all Netball was to grow in Kenya.

According to Marwa, he had invited eight countries with Kenya leading the way, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC) , South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda as Zambia , Botswana and Malawi might also send teams to grace the event.

The TANA chairperson also added that the teams that have already confirmed their participation from mainland Tanzania are women’s sides Tamisemi, JKT Mbweni, Uhamiaji, Jeshi Stars, NSSF, Arusha Polisi while KVZ, Mafunzo, JKU, Zimamoto, Warriors and Pemba will represent Zanzibar island.

Only three men’s teams qualified for the  assignment from the Union Netball Championships that was held last year and will be led by Tanzania mainland’s Bandari Veterans and Smart Boys while JKU has qualified from Zanzibar.

Defending Champions National Insurance Company ( NIC) will jet out of Kampala this Friday and are still expecting a tough tournament from National league rivals Uganda Prisons  whom they closely beat last year in the month of March during a tense  nail biting sweaty extravaganza at the Ulinzi Complex indoor Arena in Nairobi to clinch their 21st regional title.

Kampala International College will be the other women’s side from Uganda that will spice up the event as the men’s teams will have Kampala University and WOB.

Zambia’s Buffalo who finished at fifth place on rankings last year in Nairobi are yet to confirm their participation as now Marwa and co.  are still sweating for confirmation, but with news that Kenya will not have a team in Dare salaam this year, has yet again proved that developing netball in Kenya without financial muscle or goodwill will continue to be an untreatable cancer that will eventually kill the sport completely leaving top figures arguing and blaming each on what to do next.