The national men’s volleyball team has been pooled in group ‘B’ alongside Tunisia, Ghana and Libya
in the African Nation championship-Cum-World Championship qualifiers.
The tournament gets underway
on Sunday in Cairo, Egypt.
On paper, Tunisia and Kenya are favourites to proceed past the group stages going by the FIVB rankings.
Tunisia is ranked 24th, Kenya 50th, Ghana (95) and Libya (118) as at July this year.
In the draw that was conducted on Saturday afternoon in Cairo, the host nation and defending champions
Egypt were pooled in group 'A' alongside
Niger and Congo RD.
Cameroon will battle it out in Pool 'C' against Morocco and Nigeria while Algeria line up against Botswana, Chad and Rwanda in Pool D.
The top two teams from every pool will proceed to the quarter-finals.
The Kenyan charges under Moses Epoloto's stewardship will kick off their campaign with a match against Ghana on Sunday.
Their quest at the prestigious tourney come a week after the Kenya women’s volleyball team’s continental dominance came to an abrupt end on Saturday night.
The Malkia Strikers
were humbled by hosts Cameroon in a pulsating African Nations Cup final at the Palais des Sports Hall in Yaoundé.
Their male counterparts will seek to start on a high note in their opening match against the West Africans and will seek to extend the good run in the subsequent matches.
Fast-rising middle blocker Rodgers Maiyo said on Friday they will put their best foot forward and hope the results go their way.
“We will take one match at time. We know it is not going to be a walk in the park but just like other teams want to qualify, we are not any different and we will do our best.” Maiyo said
before the team departed for Egypt on Friday night.
Maiyo plays for Kenya Prisons men’s volleyball side in the Kenya Volleyball Federation national league.
The 2017 Men's African championship also doubles as the 2018 World Championship qualifiers.
The top three African teams book slots to represent the continent in the FIVB Prestigious championship to be co-hosted by Bulgaria and Italy.