Burundi Kabaddi battles Kenyan clubs ahead of regional championships

The Kenya Kabaddi Sports Federation (KKSF) on Wednesday invited the Burundi national Kabaddi team to the Blue Phoenix Martial Arts Gymnasium in Nairobi for a series of matches against Kenya’s top six Kabaddi clubs ahead of the 2026 East Africa Inter-Club Kabaddi Championships scheduled for Burundi in July next year.

Speaking to Radio Generation from Nairobi on Thursday, KKSF Competitions Secretary Perpetual Muthoni Mbutu emphasized the importance of such local competitions in preparing teams for international events.

“We will continue organizing more of these competitions. They help prepare clubs by giving rookies and experienced players a chance to compete, while also allowing us to assess national team players and identify new talent for both the men’s and women’s national teams,” said Mbutu.

National champions Kenya Police Service (KPS), Administration Police (AP), Prisons Kenya, Paradiso Kabaddi Club, City Panthers, and National Youth Service (NYS) had initially been selected for the event alongside the Burundi national side. However, City Panthers and NYS withdrew at the last minute due to unavoidable circumstances.

Burundi started strongly against defending champions KPS but lost momentum in the closing stages, eventually falling 54-47 to the Kenyan side.

The visitors then faced AP, a team that recently strengthened its squad with five new players ahead of the third leg of the national league. AP dominated the match, defeating Burundi 54-25.

In another match, Prisons Kenya narrowly lost 45-40 to KPS, while AP defeated Paradiso Kabaddi Club 56-40 in the final men’s game of the event.

The only women’s match of the day saw KPS once again display their dominance, beating a determined AP side 54-40.

The Africa Kabaddi Confederation is yet to announce the official dates and venue for the 2026 East Africa Clubs Kabaddi Championships. However, Kenyan clubs have once again demonstrated their strength ahead of the regional competition expected in July.