Zone V Volleyball tourney to cost Rwf95m

Saturday Burundi vs Kenya (4pm) Rwanda vs. Uganda (6pm) Sunday Uganda vs Kenya (4pm) Rwanda vs Burundi (6pm) Rwanda Volleyball Federation will use an estimated Rwf95 million to host the Zone V Championship that runs from Saturday to Monday.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015
National Volleyball team players training at Amahoro stadium. Kenya and Rwanda are the favourites to win the Zone V championship. (Sam Ngendahimana)

Saturday

Burundi vs Kenya (4pm)Rwanda vs. Uganda (6pm)

Sunday

Uganda vs Kenya (4pm)Rwanda vs Burundi (6pm)

Monday

Uganda vs Burundi (4pm)Rwanda vs Kenya (6pm)

Rwanda Volleyball Federation will use an estimated Rwf95 million to host the Zone V Championship that runs from Saturday to Monday.

Three countries including Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda will take part in the 3 day tournament after Tanzania pulled out for unclear reasons.

Gustave Nkurunziza, the president of the Volleyball federation said the Sports Ministry will foot the bill as they try to secure more sponsorship from corporate companies.

"We have a good budget to work with for this tournament. The good thing is that our main sponsor, the ministry of Sports and Culture helped us a lot, so we expect everything to be fine, we did not get other sponsors but we hope in the few days someone can come in,” Nkurunziza said.

Rwanda will start the campaign against Uganda on Saturday, before playing Burundi on Sunday and then battle Kenya on Monday.

In other matches, Kenya will start their games against Burundi on Saturday, then take on Uganda on Sunday before playing Rwanda on the same day.

Will history repeat itself?

Rwanda’s major challenger in the competition is Kenya but Coach Paul Bitok is likely to draw from the experience of 2011 when Rwanda beat Kenya 3-2 in a pulsating game at Amahoro Stadium and qualified for the All Africa Games in Mozambique.

The winner of this year’s Zone V championship will qualify for the 2015 All Africa Games to be held in Congo Brazzaville from September 4-19.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw