President Uhuru Kenya will have the final say about the fate of Paul Bitok whose self-willed exit as the caretaker head coach of the national women’s volleyball team has been rejected by the Kenya Volleyball Federation.
KVF president Waithaka Kioni asserted that Bitok is not going to leave the team and appealed the government to consider catering for the national team’s head coach’s salary just like they are doing for the football counterpart.
“I want to implore the ministry of sports to consider enrolling the national volleyball team coach on a monthly salary. You have been paying the football coach and can replicate the same with the volleyball tactician,” Kioni said. He was addressing the PS Sports Kirimi Kaberia during government’s luncheon for Malkia Strikers in Nairobi on Thursday.
With KVF not ready to let go of Bitok, PS Kaberia said the matter will be presented to president Uhuru Kenyatta from where they will chat the way forward.
“I will discuss the proposal with the president (Kenyatta) and advise accordingly. We appreciate what you are doing, we know what you are capable of and we’ll keep supporting your efforts,” intimated Kaberia noting that volleyball is one of the major sports the government has identified in its expansion programme.
Rejecting Bitok’s departure, Kioni said:
“You (Bitok) returned home at a timely moment when our team was shaky and rescued us. Please don’t abandon us. We are not talking about you leaving, you are still our head coach,” asserted Kioni’
This’s in the backdrop of Bitok, a former Kenya international middle blocker returning to the country from Rwanda where he had a successful 10-year stint as the men and women’s national teams coach salaried by the Rwandese government.
Kioni intimated that the federation had no intensions of making any changes in the technical bench who make all decisions regarding the playing unit.
In the meantime, Bitok has stuck to his guards saying his assignment as the caretaker coach ended in Morocco’s All Africa Games but was verbally extended to accommodate the World Cup since it came almost a fortnight after the continental showpiece.
“My work had basically ended after World Cup. Right now this team needs a special coach to be with them for at least years. Stabilising a team is not a one-off event, it takes time.
“I am not abandoning the team. As I already said, I’ll be available to help the team. When I’m called upon I will not hesitate to step in,” intimated Bitok.
