As the new sporting season gets underway in East and Central Africa after the Christmas and New Year break, focus will be on the regional volleyball body.
This is so since volleyball is the only Olympic team sport where East and Central Africa has been having a representative at World Championships and World Cup stage with Kenya being the region’s flag bearer in the two world events.
The East and Central Africa Volleyball Confederation (ECAVCO) headed by Uganda’s Tom Omongole as President, Kenya’s Jacob Owiti as Secretary General and Kenneth Tonui as Treasurer, has received a major boost following an announcement by Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) President Waithaka Kioni that they will support the regional body. Tanzania’s Augustino Agapa is 2nd Vice President of ECAVCO while Kenya’s Walter Otieno is the Sports Organizing Secretary.
“Kenya has been a shinning example of volleyball success not only in East and Central Africa but on the whole of African continent. As such, we shall be in the forefront of supporting the activities of ECAVCO,” said Kioni.
While congratulating Owiti who is also a member of Sports Commission in continental volleyball body CAVB, Otieno who is a member of CAVB Technical Commission, former KVF President Ibrahim Efumbi who is ECAVCO Vice President and Tonui who is also KVF Treasurer for being elected to the regional volleyball body, Kioni challenged them to keep Kenya’s name flying high. Uganda’s Omongole is also a Vice President of CAVB.
“The Kenyans who are in the regional volleyball body have the experience required to market and develop the sport in this region with the support of their counterparts from Uganda. Tanzania, Rwanda, Zanzibar and Burundi amongst others hence I am appealing to them to hit the ground running so that East and Central Africa can match their North and West African opponents in volleyball among men and women,” Kioni said.
The KVF President called on local volleyball clubs to start early preparations for the new season adding KVF has lined up a series of seminars and clinics for coaches, referees, teachers, team officials and administrators with the aim of improving standards of the game in the country right from schools.
“I would like to thank FIVB and CAVB for their support. I would also like to thank my colleagues in the KVF national office, the government, our branches, players, clubs and schools for their support and co-operation throughout last season. As we gear up for the new season I want to appeal to all stakeholders in volleyball to continue with the same spirit,” Kioni said and commended the local media for their support in highlighting KVF activities.
Meanwhile, ECAVCO Secretary General Jacob Owiti has stated that once they receive calendars of activities from the various member countries, they will be in a position to release this year’s calendar of events for the regional body.
“ECAVCO is still waiting for member countries to submit their calendars of events which will in turn guide us in making the regional calendar,” Owiti said adding that they will ensure that their activities are evenly spread amongst member countries while taking into consideration both FIVB and CAVB Calendar of events.
He pointed out that at present they were busy making final touches to the ECAVCO secretariat which will be based in Nairobi adding that a meeting bringing together the ECAVCO Executive Committee will be held soon during which vacant positions will be filled and various sub-committees formed.
