President Kenyatta hosts peerless Malkia Strikers at Mombasa

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday reiterated his commitment to ensuring all national teams flying Kenya’s flag at international competitions get befitting support from the Government.

Speaking at the Mama Ngina Drive Waterfront in Mombasa where he hosted the national women’s volleyball team, President Kenyatta commended Kenya’s sportsmen and women for putting the country’s profile on the global map through their outstanding performances.

Malkia Strikers clinched the 2020 Olympic Games Africa’s sole ticket during the qualifiers held in Cameroon last week thus sealing a return to the multi-sport event for the first time since 2004.

“Sports is what has put in many ways Kenya on the map. A lot of people know this country because of our gallant sportsmen and women because they represent what is best about Kenya,’’ President Kenyatta told triumphant Malkia Strikers players.

The Head of State, who had invited the Kenyan queens for a luncheon at the Mombasa State House, termed the team’s qualification, after 16 years of waiting, as prove of Kenya’s rising profile as an African sporting powerhouse.

With the Sports Fund fully functional, the President challenged Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed to ensure the team get the best preparations ahead of the Summer Games primed for July 24 to August 9 in Japan.

“We will support you by giving out what you may need during the preparations for you to triumph in Japan because we have the Fund which is operational. Not only volleyball, but all our athletes must benefit from their talents and that’s why my administration is very serious on sports,” he added.

Speaking at the event, the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) chief Waithaka Kioni who is also the Kenya’s Chef de Mission for the multi-sport event revealed that Malkia Strikers will train at the Kasarani Indoor Arena for three months before camping in Turkey and Slovenia for a month.

“We would like to that the ministry because we no longer cry for our allowances and we hope this will continue in future. Because we want good preparations ahead of this event we will hit the camp soon to continue sharpening our skills and most likely we will camp outside Kenya so that we can acclimatise,” he told.

President Kenyatta gave the nine-time African champions a Ksh 1 million token for their feat in Cameroon.

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President Uhuru Kenyatta Malkia Strikers State House Mombasa

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