Kenyan MPs scoop volleyball titles
Kenyan women MPs volleyball team in action against their Tanzanian counterparts on December 8, 2017 during the 8th Inter-Parliamentary Games in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. PHOTO | BRIAN OTWAL |
What you need to know:
- Kenyan parliamentarians are the men and women’s volleyball champions after winning all their final matches at the 8th Inter-Parliamentary Games here on Friday
- Kenya saw off Uganda in straight sets to record a 100 percent winning record. Buoyed by support from the Tanzanian fans, Kenya took the lead winning the first set 25-15 before winning the second set 25-09.
- Uganda could not go down easy and fought back in the third set pushing it to a 28-26 scoreline.
IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA
Kenyan parliamentarians are the men and women’s volleyball champions after winning all their final matches at the 8th Inter-Parliamentary Games here on Friday.
Kenya saw off Uganda in straight sets to record a 100 percent winning record. Buoyed by support from the Tanzanian fans, Kenya took the lead winning the first set 25-15 before winning the second set 25-09.
Uganda could not go down easy and fought back in the third set pushing it to a 28-26 scoreline.
“We are a volleyball powerhouse and we had to dominate and be the champions we are, despite the stiff competition we got from the Ugandans and the hosts as well,” noted Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama, who captained the side.
Kenya also became the new champions in the women’s volleyball in the absence of 2016 champions Rwanda. Coached by former Prisons assistant coach Gideon Chenje, the team ensured they never lost any set in the tournament to take home the title they last won in 2015.
Kenya won in straight sets of 25-12, 25-22, and 25-19.
“Sports will always unite us and we demonstrated a lot including our supremacy to get to this level. said Kilome lawmaker Thaddeus Nzambia.
Chenje, who has since parted ways with the Prisons volleyball team, on his part expressed his delight at the victory noting that the parliamentarians have grown in the sport and gained experience on how to play the sport.
Meanwhile, Parliament of Uganda defended their football title after winning all their matches. They beat the hosts 2-1 in their final match to be crowed the champions for the fourth time.
“One thing I have learnt from these games is that we need to invest in sports in our countries as they are a unifying factor all over the world and it will go a long way in facilitating unity in East Africa,” noted Ledama Ole Kina.
In netball, the match between Parliament of Tanzania and Parliament of Uganda ended prematurely with Tanzania leading 13-11. Uganda blamed Tanzanian officials for biased officiating.
The games that come to a close on Sunday seek to bring together national parliaments of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda under the theme, "Integrating Citizens and Strengthening Inter-Parliamentary Relations'
