Rwanda’s national volleyball team captain Christophe Mukunzi has been ruled out of the upcoming CAVB Zone V tournament slated for May 1-6 following an operation on his right wrist.

The 24 year old, who features for Turkish first division side Payas Belediye Spor Volleyball, is expected to recover after three months.

Head coach Paul Bitok bemoaned the development: "This is a very big blow for Rwanda. It is hard to get a player like Mukunzi in one month before the competition. It is also unfortunate that Lawrence Yakan has not recovered fully as well as Marshal Kwizera.”

Kwizera is expected to recover from an operation on his right arm while the U-23 captain Aimable Mutuyimana is also currently recovering after an operation on his right ankle.

Yakan, who underwent surgery on his right knee recently, was released by his Turkish club Palandoken Belediye-Erzurum and is in Rwanda for rehabilitation as he partakes in light training.

Mukunzi and Yakan were influential players for the national side guiding Rwanda to the 2011 regional title unbeaten at the event that was hosted in Kigali, including a historic 3-0 victory over giants Kenya.

Rwanda went on to represent the region at the 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique and it is this same feat Bitok is hoping to replicate as he bids to qualify Rwanda to the 2015 edition in Congo-Brazzaville from September 4-19.

"I will now turn to the junior players. They do not have a lot of experience but are generally fair and we shall continue training,” Bitok said.

Youngster Nelson Murangwa, who spent months training with Japanese side Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler, and Patrick Kavalo, are some of the players expected to step up on the big stage.