Veteran volleyball coach Paul Gitau has quit the sport to vie for a political seat in the forthcoming general election. Gitau joins a group of sports administrators both current and former who have expressed their interest in the various positions on offer at the 2013 general election.

He will be seeking the position of the Kileleshwa Ward Nairobi County Representative. Gitau, who was expected to be at the bench today as his former side Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) seeks the Kenya Volleyball Federation league title at Moi, Kasarani, quit the team a month ago.

KCB is currently involved in a four team KVF national league play offs. Others include league defending champions Kenya Pipeline, former champions and African Queens Kenya Prisons as well as Nairobi Water.

Gitau was with KCB since April and says helping the team reach the league play-offs was a big achievement and insisted: "If I were with the team right now, I am certain I would have finished second to whomever."

Asked why he quit KCB, Gitau insisted he would not delve into the issue but added: "I think it is high time t coaches were respected."

The KVF Central Rift secretary said coaches are not given their place in their teams and pointed out instances where football coaches have been sacked through mobile phone Short Message Service (SMS) texts.

"It is unfortunate that some individuals think we are in coaching by default," said Gitau. "Some of us are in coaching because we are qualified and love the sport that we are involved in."

Gitau started coaching in 1989 at Nyeri Posta and won two national league titles before his departure in 1994. He has also coached Telkom ladies and Homegrown. he sat at the helm of the national women's team on various occasions since 1996.