The Kenyans made their Olympic debut in 2000 and participated again in 2004, finishing equal-11th both times. Algeria proved to be their nemesis in 2008 when they eliminated Kenya in the Olympic qualifying tournament. The same fate befell them in 2012 as the Algerians beat them to qualify as the only African side. At the African Olympic Qualification Tournament, where they were the favourites, Kenya failed to get through on the much easier route to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, placing third behind Egypt and Cameroon. Kenya have competed at the World Championship five times, most recently in 2010 when they finished equal-21st. Kenya have won the African Championship nine times and been runners-up once. They won the gold medal at the All Africa Games in 1999 and bronze in 2007.

Kenya made their second consecutive World Grand Prix appearance in 2015 and have surpassed expectations by winning Group 3 with victory over Peru in the final. In the 2014 tournament they finished a creditable fifth in Group 3. There was further success at the 2015 African Volleyball Championship in which they defeated Algeria in straight sets to win the gold medal. Kenya have appeared in four editions of the World Cup since 1991 and over the four competitions have won one game, a 3-0 success against Egypt in 1995. Four years ago they won three sets, one each in 3-1 defeats by Serbia, Dominican Republic and Algeria, and finished bottom of the standings. In 2015, they finished 10th overall with two victories and nine losses.