Bitok spoke as Kenya steps up preparations for the 2026 Women's African Nations Volleyball Championship, which will be held in Nairobi from August 23 to September 5.

Kenya Volleyball Federation deputy president Paul Bitok has urged stakeholders to invest more heavily in volleyball and implement structural reforms to help East African clubs close the gap on their North African rivals.

The tournament returns to Kenya for the first time since 2015 and will act as a qualification pathway for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2027 FIVB World Championship.

“We have to invest more deliberately in volleyball and implement structural reforms if East African clubs are to compete consistently with the North African sides,” said Bitok.

The former national team coach made the remarks after the 2026 Africa Women’s Club Volleyball Championships in Cairo, where Kenyan clubs again fell short against North African opposition.

KCB settled for silver after losing 3-1 to Al Ahly Women's Volleyball Club in the final. KCB won the opening set 25-22 before Al Ahly fought back to take the next three sets 25-15, 25-20 and 25-16.

Kenya Pipeline claimed bronze after beating Association Sportive de Carthage Women's Volleyball 3-1 in the third-place playoff.

Bitok said North African clubs have pulled ahead through professionalism, better facilities and investment in sports science.

“To win at this level, talent is no longer enough,” he said. “We need scientific training, better facilities and professional structures that treat volleyball as a high-performance industry.”

He noted that Kenyan clubs often struggle to adapt to the modern indoor arenas used in international competitions and called on both government and private investors to support the development of specialised volleyball facilities.

Bitok also pushed for professional club systems with dedicated technical departments, sports science units and performance analysis structures similar to those used in North Africa.

He stressed the need to strengthen youth development pathways to secure the future of the Kenya women's national volleyball team.

Bitok believes building stronger links between schools, academies and elite clubs will help sustain Kenya’s competitiveness on the continent.

He also appealed for increased sponsorship and government funding to enable Kenyan clubs to play more high-level international build-up matches ahead of major tournaments.