Winning start for Kenyan teams in East and Central Africa handball championship

Three Kenyan handball teams are in Zanzibar for the annual East and Central Africa Club championship that threw off on Sunday 4 December. 

The three have started their campaign off to a winning start with women's league title holders and the championships defending champions Nairobi Water Queens getting their title defence off to a 37-19 victory. 

Having attracted five men's teams and a similar number in the women's category, the Kenyan sides are hoping to win a double as Water lokk to defend the title while national champions Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) hope to bag the men's title currently held by the no-show Rwanda Police. 

The men's category pits Danstun Eshikumo's NCPB against hosts Nyuki, Tanzania's Ngome and counterparts Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa (JKT) as well as a team from Burundi. 

Water are up against local arch rivals NCPB, Ngome, JKT and Burundi as well. 

A clash between hosts Nyuki and NCPB men got the action rolling on Sunday evening with the Kenyan side emerging victorious in a 37-22 outcome. 

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Skipper Timothy Kirimi and William Malui led the scoring with seven and six goals respectively as Robert Maraga and John Wante adding four a piece in the win. 

Nyuki's Rajabu Juma emerged top-scorer with eight goals while Juma Mussa added seven to their tally but it was not enough to defeat the well-cordinated NCPB.

Meanwhile, Nairobi Water played the first match in Monday morning against Ngome with Brenda Ariviza powering the side with eight goals for the 37-19 win. 

NCPB women had a much tougher match against JKT leading 17-16 at half time as they went on to picked a laboured 29-25 victory. 

Sarah Mabonga remained the team's engine, scoring ten goals to aide the millers stay on course for the title. JKT's Haitham Juma led the scores for her side with eight goals.