This archive report was first published on 25 October 2019.
Published on October 25, 2019, a report emerged that the Kenya national women's netball team was stranded in Cape Town, South Africa due to unpaid hotel bills.
The team, which represented Kenya at the 2019 Africa Netball Championship, arrived in Cape Town on October 18th and were allegedly denied access to their hotel after officials failed to pay a deposit for accommodation.
According to Citizen Digital, the girls went straight to the field from the airport for their opening fixture, but were left stranded after the Ministry failed to pay for their accommodation as promised.
A Cameroonian well-wisher reportedly came to their aid, buying them milk and bread and offering alternative accommodation after they spent the night out in the cold.
This incident is a stark reminder of a promise made by President Kenyatta just two months prior, that no national team would ever get stranded again when representing the country.
“Tumeweka pesa saa ya kuhakikisha kuwa hakuna team ambayo imebeba bendera yetu italala kwa kiwanja ya ndege kwasbabu wamekosa tikiti, ambao watafukuzwa kwa hoteli kwa sababu hawana marupurupu ya kulipa hoteli ama wameenda kukula vichochorni kwasababu hawana pesa za allowance na wewe unawakilisha nchi yako,” Kenyatta said.
CS Amina Mohamed denied claims that the netball team was stranded, stating that anything in the mainstream media should not be considered as gospel truth.
However, a senior player in the squad confirmed that the team was indeed stranded over unpaid hotel bills, thanking a Cameroonian well-wisher for their kindness.
