Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) hope to extend the county leagues to 10 counties by the end of this year.
KBF secretary general, Ambrose Kisoi Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu are the only three counties with recognised provincial leagues. “The other counties do tournaments,” he noted.
He added: “I can assure that at the end of this year, the league will be in 10 counties abnd we want to push that number to 30 by the end of next year and eventually 47 in the third year.”
He said KBF have asked each branch to stage a tournament during this coming Madaraka Day and use the platform to pursue the idea of the league.
He said KBF have also kicked off programmes to promote the game in all the counties with the view of making branches vibrant.
“There are already plans to organise coaches and referees clinics in those branches, which will be facilitated by FIBA instructors and referees.
“Referees form an integral part of the game and so it’s good to plan the number of match officials each branch will develop in a year,” head of referees’ Eric Omondi said.
Vihiga County secretary Ken Egovwa said the initiative is welcome move if the game is to gain popularity across the nation.
“The greatest impediment to development of the game is lack of ‘public’ playing courts at the grassroots,” he observed.
Coast Basketball Association chairman Martin Mwenda said the move is long overdue.
