Malkia Strikers Cry Foul in Thailand: Unpaid Allowances Leave Team Distracted Ahead of Crucial Germany Clash

Kenya’s celebrated women’s volleyball team, the Malkia Strikers, have once again found themselves in the headlines, not for their unmatched prowess on the court but for the financial struggles that continue to plague their international campaigns.

As the team gears up to face Germany in the ongoing World Championships in Thailand on Saturday, August 23, their minds are weighed down by a burden no athlete should carry: unpaid allowances and the welfare of their families back home.

In a heartfelt video shared online, the players revealed that, despite assurances from the Ministry of Sports that all allowances would be settled before departure, no money has reached their accounts. The promised support, they say, was meant to cover their basic travel needs and help their families during the tournament. Instead, they are left battling uncertainty.

“The promise was that before we travel, we were supposed to get all our allowances paid into our accounts; however, it never happened. We are told they are waiting for the Ministry,” lamented one of the players.

The situation was dire even before their departure. The Strikers disclosed that they were briefly locked out of their training camp due to financial constraints, forcing the squad to trim its roster from 20 to 16 players. Only the intervention of sponsors kept their preparations alive.

Adding to their frustrations, the team said they had hoped to raise the issue directly with Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya during a pre-departure meeting. However, their coach allegedly blocked them from voicing their grievances.

For a team that has consistently lifted Kenya’s flag high on the global stage, winning African championships and qualifying for world events, their current predicament highlights the glaring neglect of women’s sports.

“It’s hard to give your best on the court when your mind is back home, worrying about whether your children have food or if your landlord will lock the door,” one player decried.