Pagal deals blow to Kenyans’ ego
By Miguel Suleyman
Davinder Sahota Pagal and Ahmed Huwel displayed
incredible driving skills that completely overshadowed Kenyan stars in the Sea
Cliff Nane Nane Rally in Arusha over the weekend.
Pagal, the overall winner of the Tanzanian Edition of Africa Rally Championship,
emerged the overall winner of the event , beating nine other finishers,
including Kenya’s number one driver Azzar Anwar.
However, the whole 500km event was the three-man show with Iringa-based drivers,
Ahmed Huwel and Fahim Taher, leading much of the spectacular displays ever seen
in the tricky rally.
Closely similar to the last month’s General Tyre Rally, Ahmed lost his lead in
the fifth section when his ultra fast Toyota Land cruiser suffered a tyre burst
at Leganga-Nkoanekoli section.
“It easily destroyed what looked an obvious win, it is like what happened in the
Dar es Salaam International rally last month when my car overturned just five
minutes to the final point of winning. I am still happy that we have beaten the
noisy Kenyans, including their number one Azzar Anwar,” said Ahmed Huwel at
Mount Meru Hotel where the prize giving ceremony took place last Sunday.
To Pagal, it was his first win in Arusha, as the region had never allowed him to
win all his three attempts. The best in Arusha was number six position he
attained in 2003 edition of Nane Nane Rally.
Pagal, who teamed with unknown navigator from Arusha, cruised his Range Rover in
two hours, 27 minutes and 59 seconds, followed by Ahmed Huwel, who took the
runner-up position in two hours, 29 minutes and 32 seconds.
Kenya’s Azhar Anwar was third in Subaru Legacy clocking two hours, 30 minutes
and three seconds.
Also with impressive performance were the Saleh Balhabou/ Maisam Fazal team from
Morogoro, who ended fourth overall in two hours, 32 minutes and 46 seconds ahead
of the Kenyan duo, Yogesh Patel and Nick Patel in Subaru Impreza, who took fifth
postion in two hours, 42 minutes and 50 seconds.
The sixth position went to Tanga drivers, Issa Mohamed/Salim Moor who cruised
their Land Rover SPV in three hours, one minute and 36 seconds. Kenyans John
Ngunjiri/Bob Patel took seventh overall position in Subaru in three hours, nine
minutes and 26 seconds.
The best from Arusha were Khalid Kassam and Shaheer Khan who finished eighth
overall in Subaru Legacy after clocking 4:06:47 while the ninth overall position
went to Hassan Mohamed/Hassan Mohamedali of Tanga who made it in 4:15:40.
Amarjit Dhillon Sunvic was tenth overall in Subaru after clocking 4:52:19 and
the newest entrants, Papa King Mollel/Andrew Kwayu also from Arusha, ended
eleventh overall after clocking 5:01:30 in Subaru Impreza. Dieter Burian/Timothy
Kiambura took the last position among 12 finishers.
Record win for Prisons’ pugilist
By Burton Brown
Omari Iddi of Prisons was among the national team
boxers, who starred last week’s session of Dar es Salaam Regional Boxing League,
recording a win in just 35 seconds over Hemedi Ramadhan of Kawe Juniors at
Railway Gerezani ground.
Sunday Elias of MMJKT outpunched Harun Abbas of Mgulani while the event’s
dangerman, Issa Athuman of Prisons, recorded the second knock out over Kurwa
Kondo of Kawe Juniors.
Another sensational boxer, Kassim Saidi of Kawe, scored a stunning victory over
Langson Undule of Prisons.
Tanzania’s international boxer, Petro Mtagwa of MMJKT, had to sweat profusely to
silence Raphael Sanga of Mgulani in a long-drawn fight that impressed the
massive audience at Gerezeni ground.
Also in the list of a winning boxers were Omar Ulughu of Kawe Juniors who beat
the national boxer, Alister Peter of Prisons, Hashim Simon of MMJKT knocked
Hamisi Shiuro of Mgulani while Julius Yona of MMJKT knocked down Fabian Gaudence
of Mgulani.
Others who won their bouts include Hamadi Daula of Kawe Juniors who beat Lusajo
Mwaipopo of Magereza, Kudra Issa of MMJKT over Seif Rizo of Mgulani while Mussa
Maissori of Prisons outperformed Modest Rashid of Kawe Juniors.
Excitement builds up in Vodacom
Premier League
By Express Reporter
The Super Stage of Tanzania’s Vodacom Premier League
has begun to put soccer fans in suspense as depicted in the matches played over
the weekend.
Title holders Simba lead with a clean six points after their spectacular win
against archrivals Dar Young Africans.
In Arusha, Mtibwa Sugar and Arusha AFC tied 2-2 at Sheikh Amri Abeid Memorial
Stadium last Saturday in closely fought encounter.
However, things continued to be tough for Mbeya Prisons who last week lost 0-1
to Simba SC in Dar es Salaam.
It was the late-minute goal by Shadrack Nsajigwa that earned a 1-1 draw for
Prisons when they met Moro United at the Jamhuri Stadium last Sunday.
The agile striker fired home the goal six minutes to time to enable the Mbeya
lads to walk away with a point.
Earlier, Yusuf Macho opened the score for Moro United in the 65th minute before
Nsajigwa levelled the score in the dying minutes.
Young Africans who lost to Simba 1-2 over the weekend remain with 3 points as
they face Mtibwa Sugar this weekend.
The observers say this year’s Super Eight seemed to be tougher than that of year
2003 with Moro United, Mtibwa, AFC AND Kahama United posing threats to
archrivals, Young Africans and Simba.
100 golfers for India Cup Golf
tourney
By Joyce Macha
More than a 100 golfers are expected to lock horns
in India Cup golf tournament slated for a tee off this weekend at Dar es Salaam
Gymkhana Club Course.
The Club’s Golf Captain, Mustafa Alibhai, said the event is 36-hole tournament
involving golfers from all divisions.
He said golfers from A, B and Ladies divisions will play under stroke play basis
while Juniors and C divisions would decide their winners under stable ford
points marking.
According to the source, the 18-holes will be played on Saturday while the
remaining 18 holes would tee off on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Godfrey Leverian of Morogoro emerged the overall winner of Cargo
Stars Morogoro Open Golf Tournament that ended over the weekend at Morogoro
Gymkhana Club course.
The runner-up position of the event went to Hassan Mwanyenza of Dar es Salaam
Arusha and Tanzania’s number one golfer, Ollais Mollel, took the best gross
title of the Saturday tee off while Stanley Sanga of Dar es Salaam took the day
2 gross title after grossing 71 strokes. Rodrick John of Dar es Salaam was B
division net winner
In the Ladies category, Thagi Thacker of Morogoro emerged the winner, followed
by Priscilla Karobia of Dar es Salaam while Sherida Chilipachi of Morogoro and
Fatma Makame of Dar es Salaam won best net scores of Saturday and Sunday
respectively.
Folk dance troupe offers rare
treat
By Tazzie Tarzan
It was a memorable night as the folk troupe from
Gujarat, India, enthralled the massive crowd at Lohana Mahajan Hall with some
wonderful dance, glittering costumes and superb music.
In all during the two performances on August 6 and 7 at Lohana Hall and later
Bhatia Samaj on Sunday in Dar es Salaam, the residents were treated to a rare
spectacle of traditional dances from different parts of India and especially the
state of Gujarat.
Amazing props were also used in some of the dances, such as copper plates,
lamps, pots and also sticks (dandiyas).
The girls danced away merrily holding the copper plates on their palms
demonstrating superb balance.
The lamp dance was another attraction in the cheerful night. This was really
nice as the group entered with lamps on their heads with two of the participants
carrying a small temple with numerous lamps on their heads. Not one lamp
extinguished during the dance.
Another sensational dance was the ‘Rass’. This was done with decorated sticks
(dandiyas). This dance is normally to please Lord Krishna and is performed on
happy occasions in a circle.
After their successful performance in Dar es Salaam, the group’s next tour will
be Mozambique next week.
Tanzanians assured of medals
By Express Reporter
Tanzania's upcoming marathoner, Samson Ramadhan said having all super stars of
track and field events in this year Olympic will not stop Tanzanian ambassadors
from winning medals as 2004 Olympic Games starts this weekend in Athens Greek.
Ramadhani said that in Arusha during the team's residential training at Sheikh
Amri Abeid memorial Stadium in Arusha.
However, Ramadhani feared that absence of training grounds for the athletes
would tighten their training schedule in Athens.
"There are no enough training grounds there as every sportsmen and women will be
looking for training space. Still it wont stop us from performing well there and
bring home medals," he said.
Tanzania Olympic team left this week for Athens, Greece where the games start
tommorrow.
The team left aboard Ethiopian Airlines ready for the games which end on August
29.
Led by the Deputy Minister for Labour, Youth Development and Sports, Mudhihir
Mudhihir, the athlets in the trip were Zebedayo Bayo, Samson Ramadhani, John
Yuda, Benuela Mrashani and Christopher Isegwe.
Others were Fabian Joseph (5,000/10,000m) and Restituta Joseph (5,000m) and Nada
Saya who will join the squad in Greece.
Premier Frederick Sumaye promised Tsh.6.6m for an athlete who wins gold medals
in Athens.
Legendary artiste laid to rest
By Express Reporter
It was one of the saddest moment as the inventor of Tanzanian Afro Rock, Patrick
Pama Balisidya laid to rest at the Buguruni Cemetery at Ilala in the city.
Balisidya died of kidney failure on Sunday night at the Tumbi Hospital in
Kibaha, Coast Region, did a spadework in advertising the beauty of Tanzanian
music overseas, particularly in the Scandinavian countries.
Attended by the Executive Secretary of the National Arts Council, Basata,
Shogholo Challi , and a big number of local stars, the funeral ceremony was
coloured by several artistes from the Parapanda Arts group.
Also in presence were local musicians John Kitime of the Njenje Production,
James Mpungu, Innocent Nganyagwa, Banana Zorro and Bob Rudala of the Inafrica
Band.
His eponymous hit Natizama Dirishani, Pesa ni Kitu Kidogo, Weekend and Kuolewa
starred his endeavour to conquer East African music market in the mid seventies.
With his wife Sophie Nzuki Balisidya, Shebe Mbotony on saxophone, Dick Unga on
bass and Stephen Balisidya on vocals, Balisidya won handful admirers when he
represented East Africa in Black people music festival in Lagos (FESTAC) in
1977.
14 teams lock horns in Kili
RBA
By Burton Brown
Defending Champions Savio meet Chang’ombe Boys in
the opening match of the 2004 edition of Kili Regional Basketball League, which
kicks off this Saturday at the National Indoor Stadium.
Organised by the Dar es Salaam Regional Basketball Association (DARBA), under
the maiden sponsorship of Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL), the event has
attracted 14 other teams for this year’s title chase.
According to DARBA Chairman, Mbamba Uswege, the league is divided into three
zones, East, West and Central.
In the East zone, there are UDSM Outsiders, TM Rockets and Magnets. Central zone
will feature JKT, Oilers, ABC and Chui while the Western zone includes Vijana,
Pazi, Cargo, Magomeni and Ilala flats.
The league is currently the biggest and longest basketball event in Tanzania
which also produces the best sportsmen and women who represent Tanzania in
international basketball events.
Contemporary artistes star Kili
music awards
By Burton Brown
Tanzania’s contemporary artistes, Rehema Chalamila and Banana Zorro emerged the
best musicians of the 2003 in the Kili Music Awards ceremony held over the
weekend at Karimjee Hall, Dar es Salaam.
Popularly known as Ray C, Chalamila is renowned artistes in East Africa with
remarkable stagecraft.
Banana Zorro, the son of Tanzania’s legendary singer, Zahir Ally has excelled in
the Swahili form of Rhythm and Blues that takes much attention on Spanish
flamenco.
Other recipients of the awards include Lucas Mkenda Mr. Nice whose eponymous
hit, ‘Fagilia Bongo’ was one of the top selling songs of the last year.
Judith Wambura(Lady Jay Dee) emerged the best female artiste of the year and her
album also won top award in the gala.
Hezron Ludala’s ‘Nimekuchagua Wewe’ was voted the best R&B song of the year
while Mapinduzi Halisi of Professor Jay was the album of the year while
Mwanafalsafa also entered the gallery of greats with as the best Hip Hop artiste
with ‘Alikufa kwa Ngoma’ hit.
‘Nyakati za Mwisho’ of Bahati Bukuku was voted the best song in the Gospel
Music. Category