Kenya Wheelchair Basketball Federation ( KWBF) is lamenting on the poor facilities provided to them by the government, even as the national team prepares for the Africa U-25 Women Wheelchair Basketball Championships in the Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC) and another team for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games qualifiers in Angola this March
Speaking from their training grounds at Moi International Sports Center ( MISC), Kasarani on Friday, federation president Alfred Simiyu Barasa was unhappy with the treatment of his charges, arguing that if the government wants better results from its athletes, then it must invest in quality facilities, preparation, and better treatment.
"The management of Kasarani has denied us access to the main arena, which is user-friendly to Persons With Disabilities ( PWD'S)," Simiyu retorted.
"Whatever has been availed to us has a wooden floor that is delapidated, the toilets available have stairs, the main entrance has no ramp, so how will these athletes access the facility?" Simiyu asked.
Kenya, which is currently preparing wheelchair basketball teams for both genders of the 3×3 and 5×5 teams for the Kinshasa and Angola showdown, as well as the Under 25 years old women’s team, that will participate in the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games qualifiers, has now acquired the services of American wheelchair basketball coach Roland Sanders from Houston, Texas.
"I am happy to be here, the hospitality is on another level, the talents and intensity are what I did not expect. We just need the government to work on better facilities for training," Sanders said.
Simiyu’s 3×3 and 5×5 charges will be preparing for the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation ( IWBF) Africa Championships in Luanda, March 27 – April 4 2026, a battle of top African men and women who will be seeking a ticket for the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and also the World Championships in Ottawa the same year.
The 3×3 wheelchair basketball teams will be looking to have a team of six men and six ladies each, while the 5×5 team will have 12 men and 12 ladies apiece for each team.
Kenya will also send a ladies team consisting of 12 players to the African U-25 Championship in Kinshasa, a qualifier that will help determine which teams might compete for qualification spots to the senior 2026 World Championships in Ottawa.
With the athletes’ determination to represent Kenya to these global events, all eyes are now on KWBF, as they seek government facilitation to ensure that all wheels run smooth and Kenya comes back home with glory.
