Broke Bungoma women’s team stares at likely disbandment

What you need to know:

  • The Kenya Volleyball Federation National League side failed to assemble a team at the beginning of the season because of lack of finances
  • The team, formed in 2015, made its debut in the post season play-offs in 2018 losing to KCB, Kenya Pipeline and eventual winners Kenya Prisons
  • Should the team be disbanded it will join their men’s counterparts that didn’t finish last season and failed to register for this season due to lack of finances

Bungoma County women’s volleyball team face a bleak future without the assurance of funding from the local government.

The Kenya Volleyball Federation National League side failed to assemble a team at the beginning of the season because of lack of finances thus missing the league’s first leg that was held at Ruring’u Stadium in Nyeri in February.

Bungoma team manager Vitalis Kong’ani said they handed in a Sh6 million budget to the county government last year but they have never received feedback.

“Times have really been hard and the future of the team is bleak. It’s unfortunate that we might be staring at disbandment of the team that once played in the KVF play-offs and had been strengthening the playing department with an eye on challenging for glory,” said Kong’ani.

“For sure we haven’t been receiving support from the current leadership under Governor Wycliffe Wangamati as was the case with the previous leadership of Kenneth Lusaka and that has left many promising players feeling hopeless. Last season we failed to honour a couple of league matches due to financial constraints.”

Reached for comment, the county Sports Chief officer Carol Masete said: “It’s our mandate to fund all the disciplines in the County including hockey, football, athletics and volleyball. But currently we don’t have money and we can’t offer them our support.”

The team, formed in 2015, made its debut in the post season play-offs in 2018 losing to KCB, Kenya Pipeline and eventual winners Kenya Prisons.

Last year, Bungoma County finished a distant sixth in the eight-team league.

Some of the players that played for the county outfit but were later poached were Joan Barasa and Marion Indeche (Directorate of Criminal Investigation), Caren Wekesa and Sarah Mutoro (Kenya Prisons) and Milgren Lutubula (KCB).

Should the team be disbanded it will join their men’s counterparts that didn’t finish last season and failed to register for this season due to lack of finances.

Tom Wanjala, Wycliffe Moiben (Kenya Prisons), Shadrack Misiko (General Service Unit), Dalmas Mukhwana (Kenya Ports Authority), and Morgan Wanjala (Administers Police) have previously been at Bungoma mwen’s team.

Their neighbouring County, Vihiga men’s team on other hand says their sponsor is committed to the team.

Team manager Samuel Mugata said since the formation of the team in 2013, they have had unrivalled support.