The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) is on the verge of being re-admitted to the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Volleyball Empowerment Program. This program provides financial, technical, and human resources to national federations to improve their teams' performances. Kenya previously benefited from the partnership in 2021 through the national women's volleyball team, Malkia Strikers. However, they pulled out of the Sh88 million partnership with FIVB in early 2024 due to disagreements over the technical bench composition of the team.
The disagreement arose when KVF demanded three local slots on the technical bench, while FIVB wanted to retain a formula of foreign experts with only two local assistant slots. The FIVB empowerment program had a significant impact on Malkia Strikers, with a team of experts including head coach Luizomar de Moura, trainer Jefferson Arostir, Strength and Conditioning coach Marcelo Vitorino de Souza, and team manager Roberto Opice Neto. The partnership led to Malkia Strikers' participation in the 2024 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Recently, FIVB president Fabian Azevedo visited Kenya during the 2026 CAVB Women’s African Nations championship in Nairobi. KVF, led by president Charles Nyaberi, expressed their desire to have the program back in the country with more submissions and proposals. Nyaberi revealed that they had requested the international body to consider extending the partnership to the Kenya men’s volleyball team, Wafalme Stars, and the men and women’s national beach volleyball teams.
The KVF also proposed establishing an international centre of excellence in Kenya, where coaches, tacticians, physiotherapists, and nutritionists from across the region can gather to learn and share knowledge. Nyaberi stated that he had a positive discussion with FIVB Development Commission president Mushtaque Mohammed in Tunisia during the men’s African Nations Championship. Mohammed hinted that re-admitting Kenya into the program was a done deal.
Nyaberi emphasized that the initiative is centered around the players and aims to improve their performance. He acknowledged that some Kenyan coaches were against the previous arrangement but stressed that the program is essential for the team's growth. The KVF president expressed his optimism that with the Empowerment program, Malkia Strikers will bounce back stronger and better.
Malkia Strikers recently failed to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, losing to Egypt 3-0. However, Nyaberi remains positive about the team's future. If the partnership is reinstated, Malkia Strikers are likely to have a technical bench from FIVB ahead of the FIVB World Cup set for next year, co-hosted by the United States and Canada.
The potential return of the FIVB Empowerment Program to Kenya is seen as a significant boost to the country's volleyball sector. With the program's support, Kenyan teams can compete at a higher level and gain international recognition. The KVF is eager to move forward and make the most of this opportunity, which could lead to a brighter future for Kenyan volleyball.
Key points
- Kenya Volleyball Federation considers rejoining FIVB Empowerment Program
- Program provides financial, technical, and human resources to improve national teams' performances
- Re-admission could lead to Malkia Strikers having a technical bench from FIVB ahead of the FIVB World Cup
