Former Malkia Strikers assistant coach eyeing KVF presidency

With the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) elections drawing closer, the list of interested candidates keeps growing with the latest entrant being Edward Kisaka. 

The former KCB player and women's team coach who also featured for Kenya Railways club in mid 80's and well into the 90's has joined the list of aspirants eyeing the KVF president's seat as incumbent Waithaka Kioni looks to handover the reins in the coming election. 

Kisaka says his tenure will look into continuing the work that Kioni has done to improve the levels of volleyball in the country with focus being on the player's welfare. 

"I strongly believe with my strong background track record and banking profession I have what it takes to deliver on the larger mandate. I believe volleyball should be in a league of its own competing with Athletic and Rugby as far as sports decsiplines is concerned in this country.

I intend to pick up from where he (Kioni) has left ensuring that we achieve much more. Our boy child must stand to be counted. Our girl child must now proceed to next level claim her true position in the world ranks with dignity," offered Kisaka while thanking Kioni for serving the federation selflessly, going out of his way on many occasions using his personal resources to drive volleyball to the next level.

"Players must be our core business," he continues. "The three arms, that is the player the technician and the administrator must be synchronised with a common goal. The Government must be persuaded to go a notch higher in assisting the federations to better the lives of our youth."

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The former players transitioned into coaching, taking charge of KCB Ladies. In his playing days, he was part of the men's national team. 

"I captained the men's team for more than a decade. I was part of the AAG Kenya team that did duty in the fourth edition held in Nairobi and went ahead to captain the AAG team in the fifth edition in Cairo Egypt. Apart from playing I deputised Coach Sadatoshi Sugawara in coaching the National women's team to the World qualifiers against Russia and Nigeria in Lagos. In 1996 I took the junior ladies team to Japan for a training program for a period of 2 months," Kisaka revealed. 

He has also gone on to enumerate his track record while heading volleyball in three regions namely Nairobi, Nyanza and Coach where he says he revamped the activities of volleyball which were otherwise very low. 

"Every time I departed, I left behind sound finance positions for the branches. I was able to resolve the wrangles that had brought down volleyball activities in Coast.  I also had an opportunity to serve in the national office treasury a period in which I took care of the federation's finances with a zeal introducing sound financial management procedures," offered Kisaka 

Kisaka is expected to go up against first vice president Charles Nyaberi and Kenya Prisons' David Kilundo who have thus far expressed interest in the top post to replace Kioni. 

Kioni was first elected as the KVA national chairman in 1998 before the federation changed its name to KVF in 2000. He, however, resigned before completing his term after 2000 Sydney Olympics. 

He made a comeback in 2006 and has been at the helm ever since. Under his leadership, the women’s national team, Malkia Strikers, have won four African Women’s Cup of Nations titles, four African Games gold medals and the historic FIVB Grand Prix Group 3 victory. He is the CAVB vice president and holds the same position at NOC-K.

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