The top four teams at the end of the 2025/26 Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) men’s Division Two League regular season will feature in the playoffs.
The resolution was reached during the federation’s technical meeting held on Saturday at the Nyayo National Stadium Media Centre in Nairobi.
The meeting, graced by team managers, coaches and KVF executives, was attended by the entire KVF executive, led by President Charles Nyaberi and Deputy President Paul Bitok.
The top two teams at the end of the playoffs will earn promotion to the national league, while the bottom two teams in the top tier will be relegated to Division Two, in a structure aimed at strengthening competition and ensuring accountability across all divisions.
Speaking during the meeting, Organising Secretary John Oronje confirmed that the men’s and women’s national league will kick off from November 6–9 and November 13–16 respectively, with matches to be played at the Nyayo Stadium and the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC), Kasarani, Indoor Arena.
He also revealed that the KVF National League playoff quarterfinals will be staged in Mombasa County, with women’s matches set for the Aga Khan grounds and men’s fixtures at the Makande Hall. The women’s matches will be played at Aga Khan, while the men’s will be at Makande,” said Oronje.
Oronje maintained that any team that misses two consecutive legs will be dropped from the league.
“At the end of the regular season, the top eight teams in the KVF National League will qualify for the playoffs, with 16 men’s and 12 women’s teams confirmed to feature in the new campaign,” he said.
Nyaberi welcomed the new entrants, particularly A-Plus Motors Women’s Volleyball Club, who will make their maiden appearance in the women’s league, saying the expansion reflects the sport’s steady growth.
Bitok announced that the draws for the second edition of the Kenya Cup will be held on January 9, as part of KVF’s efforts to diversify competition across formats.
KVF Secretary General Ismail Chege urged clubs and officials to observe proper procedures during both local and international player transfers, warning that disciplinary measures will apply for any breach.
Treasurer Benard Musumba cautioned that clubs with outstanding registration and participation fees from last season will not be part of the draws unless payment is made within two weeks. “Teams that fail to clear their dues will not compete this season,” he said.
Among the men’s clubs yet to settle their payments are Kenya Forest Service, Nairobi Prisons and Western Prisons, while in the women’s category, Vihiga, Young Spikers and Nairobi Prisons Maranatha were left out of the initial draw.
Deputy Treasurer Moses Mbuthia, who also chairs the KVF Nairobi Branch and Beach Volleyball Committee, urged clubs to invest more in the sport’s development, emphasising the need to nurture players who can specialise exclusively in beach volleyball. “The country must have players who exclusively feature in beach volleyball and not players who switch from conventional to beach formats,” Mbuthia said.
He added that Kenya must “do everything right” to stand a chance at competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
In the men’s National League, teams drawn include Kenya Prisons, KPA, Trailblazers, Kenya Defence Forces, KAPU, Administration Police of Kenya, Equity Bank, General Service Unit, Kenya Army, Chema, National Youth Service, Rift Valley Prisons and Eldowas.
The women’s lineup features Kenya Pipeline, Kenya Army, Kenya Defence Forces, Post Bank, Kenya Prisons, KCB, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and A-Plus Motors.
In Division Two, teams that have been drawn include—Beast, KAFU, Lang’ata High School, Simlaw, Kenya Navy, Engineers, Prisons Mombasa, Kenyatta University, Bunge, Microspykers and JKUAT, with the full fixtures expected to be released by October 19.
KVF officials said the new league structure is part of ongoing efforts to increase competition, professionalism and discipline across all tiers as Kenyan volleyball continues to rebuild its regional dominance.
by CHARLENE MALWA
