Kenya Railways to KPA's rescue as suspension of leagues finds them in Nairobi

Former Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men's and women's league champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) were caught right in the middle of President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive to suspend sporting activities and cessation of movement out of five counties including Nairobi. 

KPA teams were in Nairobi ready to face Storms in the women's league and Strathmore Blades and Ulinzi Warriors for the men's team. The teams will now be travelling back to Mombasa this afternoon thanks to an extension of operations for the Madaraka Express passenger services by the Kenya Railways. 

Kenya Railways, yesterday evening announced changes in the Madaraka Express Passenger Service and the Nairobi Commuter Rail service operations. Normal services will run on Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28, between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm and on Monday, March 29, 2021, up to noon. 

" When the announcement was made yesterday we tried to get a shuttle for the teams back to Mombasa, since we use the SGR for these assignments, but it was impossible. The vehicles were limited and they were charging an exorbitant Shs 5,000. We reached the office in Mombasa and they were making arrangements for alternative means when the decision by Kenya Railways was made and we got to book our return tickets for this afternoon," explained KPA men's head coach Sammy Kiki. 

He continued, "The team was just getting to gel and we were finally getting our fitness back but now with this uncertainty we might have to begin the process all over again when league's resume. Training at home will come in handy but it cannot be as effective as where we have reached in terms of fitness." 

Kiki's forward Martin Kitong'o was, however, not as lucky as he had to hop to the next available shuttle to Western Kenya where he is based. 

"I did not even have time for anything as we were just returning to the hotel after an afternoon training session when the announcement was made. I got to the bus stop before the craze could begin and left. We, however, had to wait out the normal curfew hours at Turbo in Eldoret and continue the journey early Saturday morning," Kitong'o said. 

Division one sides Coastal Kings and Coastal Queens had to turn back yesterday afternoon at Voi. The teams had two matches in the weekend in Nairobi and had left Mombasa with the afternoon commuter train but had to alight in Voi and make the trip back to Mombasa before curfew hours.