An official responsible for a major blunder during the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers in Cairo, Egypt, has been dismissed after playing the wrong national anthem for Kenya. The incident took place on Monday during the first group-stage game of the Zone 5 qualifiers, where the Kenyan women’s basketball team, the Lionesses, faced Uganda.
As the Lionesses lined up ahead of the game, the wrong anthem played for approximately 19 seconds, causing an awkward and embarrassing moment. The audio was quickly corrected after a brief pause, and the correct anthem, “Amkeni Ndugu Zetu,” was then played. The Kenyan players, visibly relieved, applauded, and the crowd responded with an ovation. Despite the swift correction, the mishap highlighted the importance of accurate national representation at such high-profile events.
The Kenya National Basketball Association (NBA) swiftly responded to the situation, issuing a statement on Tuesday confirming the firing of the official responsible for the error. “The person responsible for playing the wrong national anthem in the Kenya vs Uganda game in the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket Qualifiers has been fired and a report written to FIBA,” the statement said. The association emphasized the gravity of the mistake, particularly in an international competition representing the nation.
The blunder occurred in the first of Kenya’s group-stage matches, which ended in a 78-56 loss to Uganda. The Lionesses followed up with another defeat on Tuesday, losing 86-69 to South Sudan. Despite the setbacks, the team, led by head coach George Mayienga, aims to recover in their upcoming clash against Burundi on Wednesday, scheduled for 3:30 pm. The team’s final preliminary game will be against hosts Egypt on Friday.
This mishap is reminiscent of a similar incident during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the wrong anthem was played for South Sudan before their men’s basketball game against Puerto Rico. Furthermore, at the same Games, South Korean athletes were mistakenly introduced as representatives of North Korea, exacerbating the theme of embarrassing anthem and national identity mix-ups in international sports.
While such blunders are rare, they highlight the importance of attention to detail and national pride at international sporting events, where national anthems symbolize a country’s identity and unity. The NBA’s swift action reflects the seriousness with which such mistakes are taken and ensures that Kenya’s national identity is respected moving forward.
