Kenya’s under-18 Baseball5 team is facing a potential setback in their bid to qualify for the Africa World Cup due to a lack of funds.
The team was scheduled to travel to Cape Coast, Ghana, for the qualifiers on May 14, but the government was unable to provide the Sh4 million they had requested. In a letter signed by Sports Deputy Director Jaxon Indakwa, the team was advised to seek alternative sources of funding.
The Baseball Federation of Kenya president, Titus Mutwiri, expressed disappointment in the government’s late response, despite having written to them in March.
The team, comprising 16 players, has been preparing for the final shortlisting of eight and is devastated by the news. Kenya is currently ranked ninth in the world and third in Africa.
Mutwiri said they were attempting to fundraise to participate in the event, which has attracted 16 countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia.
He added that the sport was rapidly gaining popularity in over 20 counties, and they were advocating for it to be included in the school sports policy and physical education curriculum under the CBC.
