Tanzania braces for African Rally
title
By Joyce Macha
Drivers from the STADO Rally team are confident that the debut of the African
Rally Championship (ARC) in Tanzania early next year will give Tanzania a golden
opportunity to star Africa’s score sheet in the seeding point.
Tanzania opens the calendar of the African Rally Championship when the country
stages the opener in mid February 2005, according to the calendar released by
the Confederation of African Motors Sports Clubs (CACMS).
Sameer Nahdi Shanto, one of the veteran young drivers in the team said the
geographical position of Tanzania as the dead centre of Africa’s general route
of the African Rally Championship gives an opportunity for the drivers to
participate in other races in the countries like Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and
Zimbabwe.
“We hope to perform well in the opener after much experience from two candidate
rallies Tanzania staged in 2001 and 2004. In both we fared very well and we
managed to beat popular names from outside Tanzania. The winning spirit has just
begun and we hope to extend it further,” he said.
Shanto said in Dar es Salaam that there has been remarkable development in
Tanzanian motor sports compared to the past when drivers had a limited
experience of the sport.
Shanto said his team mates are also reported to start preparing Subaru Imprezas
in readiness for the spectacular performance next year.
Other Stado mates, Pano Calavria, Saleh Balhabou and Ahmed Huwel are said to be
prepared for the Subaru so as to be the uniform car for all Stado members.
Meanwhile, the Convenor of the Rally Commission, Arif Ahmed told The Express
that the commission officially started to prepare for the continental Rally a
fortnight ago since only three months remain before the flag off in February.
“We have checked the route and made some corrections in some parts of the
General Tyre Rally, probably it will be out in a few months time,” he said.
With more than 10 cars already having won Group N class, more cars are expected
to join the homologation process in the few months to come ahead of the
continental event.
Govt commends TCA programmes
By Express Reporter
The Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) is one of the three associations that
excelled in the Nationwide Sports Development Programme as directed by the
National Sports Council (NSC).
The Deputy Minister for Labour, Youth Development and Sports, Mudhihir M.
Mudhihir said on Monday that the Tanzanian cricket body, Tanzania Lawn Tennis
Association (TLTA) and the Special Olympic Association are the only sports
bodies that have observed all NSC’s regulations and directions.
Speaking during the presentation of TCA research at a conference at the New
Africa Hotel on Monday, Mudhihir said what had earned TCA the distinctive marks
were its ability to plan and run development programmes for the grassroots
levels up to Under 18 juniors and to submit works of their programmes and budget
to the ministry involved before the budget time.
As Mudhihir later explained the Muhimbili Ground in Dar es Salaam made TCA beat
the Tanzania Golf Union in polishing skills and talents.
Also attended by officials of other sports associations, the conference,
together with analyzing the four-year success and problems the cricket body has
faced, urged closer cooperation between the associations so that they could
learn from each other.
Sensei Willy Ringo of Tanzania Shotokan Karate urged the officials to share
their knowledge to enable Tanzanian pupils to become omni sportive at a very
tender age.
The President of Tanzania Tae Kwon Do, Prosper Masetu suggested to TCA and other
associations should try to educate local manufacturers so that they produce some
of the sports gear needed for their sports.
Magombe, Orr shine in Zambia golf
tourney
By Joyce Macha
Dar es Salaam-based golfer Raymond Orr emerged the A division winner of the
Zambia Cup golf tournament held over the weekend at Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club
course.
Playing off handicap 2, Orr posted 36 stable ford points, beating his closest
chaser, Nazeer Tajudeen who ended the division’s runner up with 35 stable ford
points.
But, it was Ayne Magombe who made the event’s best score when she carded 40
stable ford points on her way to win the ladies Division title.
The ladies division runner up was Priscilla Karobia who posted two 38 points,
two points behind the winner. Also played impressively in the tournament were
Dioniz Malinzi and Bhupesh Aima who won prizes in the nearest to the pin and the
longest drive awards respectively.
The award winning golfers included M. Walker who clinched the Division B title
and Adam Ngamilo who took the runner-up title while Cecil Sols and Thomas Ngabo
emerged the winner and runner-up of the C division.
Managing Director of Tanzania Zambia Railways Authority (TAZARA), Clement Mwiya,
officiated the prize giving ceremony held at the DGC on Saturday.
Zambia High Commission to Tanzania in collaboration with the Golf Section of Dar
es Salaam organized the 18-hole event that attracted 92 golfers.
TAZARA, Tanzania Zambia Pipeline (TAZAMA) and Mofed Tanzania Limited were the
main sponsor of the tournament organized to commemorate the 40th anniversary of
Zambia’s Independence.
Call to introduce hockey in
schools
By Boogie Juma
The President of the African Hockey Federation (AFHF), Seif Ahmed from Egypt has
pledged to the Tanzania Hockey Union (THU) to offer hockey facilities for the
School Hockey Development Programme in order to revive the sport in the country
The pledge came in the recent meeting between the President and top officials of
the Hockey Union during the East African Hockey Club Championship, which took
place last week in Kampala, Uganda.
The THU Secretary General, Yusuf Jusabani said Tanzania, represented by Prisons
for Mainland and Jeshi for the Isles finished 5th and 6th.
Jusabani said the Kampala meeting was very fruitful as the continental
federation donated essential gear for the sport’s development to the schools.
The schools to benefit from the donation include Makongo, Jitegemee, Tegeta (all
secondary schools) while primary schools signed in for the project are
Muhimbili, Mtendeni and Hindu Mandal
The sports gear expected to be distributed to the schools include helmets, chest
guards, goalkeeping pads, goalkeeping gloves, all expected to land in Tanzania
at the end of this year.
Kenya emerged the overall winner of the event, taking both the men and women
titles in Kampala.
Zanzibar to host EA Netball
Championship
By Boogie Juma
Zanzibar has agreed to host the 2004 edition of the East African Netball Club
Championship scheduled from December 8 to 18 at the Amaan Stadium.
The Assistant Secretary General of the Tanzania Netball Association (CHANETA),
Damian Chonya said 15 teams from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania would take part in
the ten-day event.
According to Chonya, this year’s tournament would also feature men’s team
alongside the usual women sides.
Tanzania’s representatives in the event include Jeshi Stars, JKT Mbweni and
Police Tanga. JKT and Police will play in the men’s category.
Chonya further said that the organisers would give an opportunity to all umpires
who excel in the international seminar set to take place December 7 in the Isles
to officiate the matches.
“We are committed to improve the standard of netball and divert the sport from a
total collapse. Having good umpires is part of our endeavour to have an
effective comeback of the sport,” he said.
He called for all Tanzanian teams taking part in the tournament to strengthen
their training programmes so that Tanzania emerges the winner of the tournament.
Tegeta beat Jitegemee in SBL
By Burton Brown
Tegeta Secondary School beat Jitegemee 64-50 in a thrilling semi final encounter
in the Secondary School Basketball League held over the weekend at the National
Indoor Stadium.
Banking on all stars of their last year season, Tegeta had a hard time in the
first half of the match, as Jitegemee were leading with 29 points against 26
fired by Tegeta.
It was the fourth quarter that witnessed the end of Jitegemee in the league,
when Tegeta Boys made remarkable changes of the game that saw them scoring
important points that made them romp into the final stage of the tournament.
In the other semi final, St.Mary beat Makongo School 65-37 at the same venue.
In the girls’ category, Jitegemee Secondary School thrashed Kigamboni school
67-2 in a one sided match held last Sunday.
Tegeta will now meet St. Mary in the final to be held this weekend.
U17 coach smells defeat in
Zambia
By Burton Brown
Poor attendance and the late arrival of the players called to form the
Tanzania’s Under 17 national team gave the team’s head coach a warning of a
probable defeat when the team will meet the Zambian side in Lusaka in mid
November.
Coach, Abdallah Kibaden said the arrival of 12 players out of 30 called to form
the provisional team discouraged him as only three weeks are remaining before
the teams meet November 26.
He said the absence of other players disturbed the training programme of the
team hence most of the key items of the programme would be dropped.
“I am afraid to say that the players currently in the camp cannot sustain the
training requirements, they are less than a half of the total number. How can I
train them? This assures me of poor performance,” he said.
The national youth soccer team, Serengeti Boys, were scheduled to start their
residential training camp on Monday to prepare for their African Youth
Championship first leg match against Zambia.
In another development, the Secretary General of Tanzania Football Association
(FAT) Michael Wambura said the Serengeti Boys needed about Tsh. 45 million for
preparation ahead of their match against Zambia.
The team was earlier set to start their camping on October 1 but the camp could
not take off because of the financial hardships.
Overconfidence sinks Police in
Kili RBA
By Burton Brown
Overconfidence of the Police players in 4th quarter of the match played a big
role in the team’s stunning 26-27 defeat against PTW Sisters in the ongoing Kili
RBA league held at the National Indoor Stadium over the weekend.
In that match Police seemed to have outclassed their opponents in every aspect
and were likely to win the match thanks to their well organised attacks.
The Police girls failed to maintain their 9-5 lead before PTW team changed
completely in the second half. Before the third quarter, PTW were down to 22-20.
Barely two minutes before the final whistle, Victor Mwasanjala fired home 4
points that earned the team a 27-26 win over leading Police.
In another encounter, defending Champions, Savio thrashed UDSM Outsiders 73-40
in a thrilling match held at the same venue.
Other matches over the weekend included Pazi who beat Magone 105-59 and JKT who
walloped Oilers 69-42.
Charles Makene bagged home 31 points from 18 3pt throws, 6 2pts throws. Okare
Emessu walked out with 11 points in his lap.
Simba Cement backs Tanga table
tennis
By Express Reporter
Tanga Cement Company Limited has agreed to back Tanga Region Table Tennis team
in the Inter-Cities championship to be held in Mbale, Uganda from December 2 to
5, 2004.
In the letter signed by the company’s Managing Director, Jurg Fluhman, the
Tanzanian cement producing giant has donated Tsh. 900,000 and 100 polo t-shirts
worth Tsh. 600,000 to the team.
In another development, the Secretary General of Tanga Region Table Tennis
Association (Rajen Doshi) said his team had been in intensive training for Mbale
Championship since June this year to prepare for the event.
According to Doshi, players in the camp under the trainer Ally Matata include
Malick Mwasora, Seif A. Seif, Horombe Raphael, and Zulfikar Somji.
Tanga hosted the 4th intercity championship from January 1 to 4 this year and
Mombasa emerged the winner of both the men and women titles.
The cities and towns expected to part in this year’s edition include Kampala,
Masaka, Entebbe, Jinja and Mbale (Uganda). From Tanzania Tanga, Dar es Salaam,
Morogoro, Coast Region, Zanzibar and Pemba will participate.
From Kenya Mombasa, Malindi, Nairobi and Kisumu will take part.
The Tanga team is currently rated 3rd in East Africa.