Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) has taken swift action in response to a national anthem blunder that occurred during the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers. The official responsible for playing the wrong national anthem before Kenya’s game against Uganda has been dismissed. The incident occurred on Monday and caused significant embarrassment for the country.
Kenya’s Lionesses were already reeling from their loss to Uganda in the opening match of the qualifiers, which ended 78-56 in favor of the Ugandans. To make matters worse, as the Kenyan players lined up for the match, an incorrect recording of the national anthem played for about 19 seconds. The error was quickly noticed, and after a brief pause, the correct anthem, “Amkeni Ndugu Zetu,” was played, much to the relief of the players and fans in attendance.
Following the incident, the KBF released a statement on Tuesday confirming the dismissal of the responsible individual. The statement also mentioned that a formal report had been submitted to FIBA, the governing body of international basketball, outlining the situation. This action underscores the importance the KBF places on maintaining national pride and ensuring such errors do not happen again in the future.
The Lionesses were already facing a tough challenge in the qualifiers, having lost their opening match to Uganda. The team, coached by George Mayienga, faced another defeat against South Sudan just a day later, with the final score being 86-69 in favor of the South Sudanese team. Despite these early setbacks, the Kenyan team is determined to get back on track. They have another match scheduled for Wednesday against Burundi, and they will conclude their preliminary matches on Friday with a clash against the hosts, Egypt.
This national anthem blunder is not an isolated incident in international basketball competitions. A similar mishap occurred during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where South Sudan’s national anthem was mistakenly played before their opening men’s basketball game against Puerto Rico. Such errors highlight the challenges and the high stakes associated with international sporting events, where national pride is on the line.
In response to the mistakes, the KBF has made it clear that they are committed to ensuring professionalism in all aspects of their operations. The swift action taken in firing the official responsible is a step toward ensuring that the country’s reputation is upheld in future international competitions.
The KBF’s attention is now focused on the remaining matches of the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket qualifiers. The team hopes to recover from their early losses and secure a strong finish in the tournament. Fans will be looking to support the Lionesses as they attempt to bounce back, beginning with their match against Burundi. The Kenyan team’s performance in the coming days will determine whether they can overcome the challenges and progress further in the competition.
With the national anthem blunder behind them, the KBF and the Lionesses now look forward to putting their best foot forward and making a strong statement on the basketball court.
