Kenya will host the men's Zone V All Africa Games qualification tournament between June 5 and 10 in Nairobi.
The Confederation of African Volleyball granted hosting rights to Kenya (men) and Uganda (women) qualifiers between May 10 and June 15. However, the Ugandan federation is yet to settle on the dates for the women’s competitions.
While confirming the dates, Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) president Waithaka Kioni, said both the women’s and men’s teams will be assembled after the national league set for this weekend in Kitui.
To advance to the government-sponsored continental quadrennial event in Rabat, Morocco, Kenya will have to overcome countries like Egypt, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Tanzania and Somalia who form the region.
The men’s competition is always deemed to be very stiff and unforgiving compared to that of women's hence they need ample and adequate time for preparation.
Kenya has only managed to get to the semi-finals of AAG twice- 2007 and 2011- and finished third once in 2011. They beat Rwanda in straight sets in the third place in 2011 and lost to Algeria in a five-set thriller in 2007 bronze medal playoffs.
On the flip side, their female counterparts have shone and have always grabbed a podium position. In their inaugural AAG tournament in 1987 in Nairobi, the women’s team finished second and have gone on to win gold four times (1991, 1995, 1999, 2015) and bronze in 2003, 2007 and 2011.
