Friday, February 14, 2025
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Official Sacked After Playing Wrong Kenya National Anthem at Major Event

The official responsible for playing the wrong national anthem during Kenya’s match at the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers has been fired.

Kenya’s first group-stage game at the Zone 5 qualifiers in Cairo, Egypt, on Monday, February 3, was marred by an embarrassing anthem blunder.

As the Kenya Lionesses lined up before their clash with neighboring Uganda, the wrong national anthem was played.

The recorded track continued for 19 seconds before it was stopped, leaving the players visibly distraught.

Kenya's basketball team. Photo/ Citizen Digital
Kenya’s basketball team. Photo/ Citizen Digital

Wrong National Anthem Played for Kenya at FIBA Event

Kenya National Basketball Association (NBA) in a statement on Tuesday, February 4, said a report has been filed to FIBA.

“The person responsible for playing the wrong national anthem in Kenya vs Uganda Game in the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket Qualifiers, has been fired and a report written to FIBA,” NBA said.

The mistake was swiftly rectified and the correct anthem, “Amkeni Ndugu Zetu.”  was played, with players applauding in unison.

However, Kenya lost its first group phase game, falling 78-56 to Uganda.


Also Read: Kenyan Athlete Reveals How She Lost Ksh11 Million to Lover & Agent


The Lioness has been pooled alongside host Egypt, Uganda, Burundi, and South Sudan in a win-or-go-home battle to secure a spot in the continental showdown in Ivory Coast.

The George Mayienga-led outfit rued missed opportunities and defensive indiscipline, finding themselves down by double digits by the end of the first quarter (23-11).

The second quarter was no better for the Kenyans, as they again found themselves down by double digits, ending the period with Uganda leading 40-28.

The third quarter finished 57-37, with the Ugandans extending their lead even further.

The Lioness will need to regroup, as the challenges will only intensify in the stacked Zone 5 group phase.

South Sudan’s Olympic Debut Disrupted by Wrong Anthem

This incident follows a similar occurrence during the 2024 Olympics in France, where the wrong national anthem was played for South Sudan ahead of their opening men’s basketball game against Puerto Rico.


Also Read: Nigeria Changes National Anthem Sparking Outrage


Spectators at the Pierre Mauroy stadium booed when the Sudanese anthem played instead of South Sudan’s.

They then began clapping as South Sudan’s players stood in unison with their hands over their hearts, waiting for the right song.

The error was corrected after a brief pause, followed by an ovation from the crowd. The organisers of the Paris Olympic Games later issued a statement apologising for the “human error.”

One of South Sudan’s players later told reporters that the mistake was “disrespectful.” Despite this, the South Sudanese team went on to beat Puerto Rico by 90 points to 79.

This was the second time organisers had to apologise for such a gaffe.

During the Olympics opening ceremony South Korea’s athletes were mistakenly introduced as the “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” the official name of North Korea.

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Athletics Kenya President, Jack Tuweri in a past press conference. PHOTO/Jack Tuwei

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Annah Nanjala Wekesa

Annah Nanjala Wekesa is a journalist at The Kenya Times, with a passion for crafting news-worthy stories that leave a lasting impact. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media from Kisii University. She has honed her skills in the art of storytelling and journalism. Her passion lies in the art of storytelling that resonates with audiences, driving a commitment to delivering news-worthy stories through the lens of integrity and precision. She can be reached at annah.wekesa@thekenyatimes.com

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