Tanga wheelers
to compete in five countries
By Burton Brown
The Tanga-based NAS Rally team plans to compete in five African Rally
Championship events in their chase for the continental title.
Speaking this week at their home base in Tanga, driver Issa Mohamed and his
navigator, Hassan Mamdali told The Express that a place among the top five
finishers in the just ended Knight Support Rally played a motivational role in
trying for the tough mission.
Issa Mohamed began his campaign to hit the continental rally scene early last
year when he and Omar Bakhressa took part in the Kenyan edition of African Rally
Championship held in Mombasa.
“We did not manage to finish the rally, but we learnt a lot. From that
experience and the recent one in Dar es Salaam, we are now very much certain
that we can compete against those top drivers and beat most of them,” said Issa
Mohamed.
Mohamed who now drives an ultra-modern Subaru Impreza told The Express that he
and his Stado Rally team-mates plan to compete in the rest of the African events
in Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“We have enough time until May when the third edition of the African Rally
Championship takes place in Zimbabwe and a month later in Zambia and Kenya. We
have to use these events to gain more points,” he said.
Both Issa Mohamed and his sponsor, Ahmed Said of NAS Transporters admitted that
no driver from East Africa would travel to Reunion where the eighth FIA-backed
African Rally Championship would take place in November.
Issa Mohamed, Abdul Mohamed and Ahmed Said have been doing well in the motoring
field ever since they joined the sport just 18 months ago.
Simba prepare
for Enyimba clash
By Express Reporter
As the preparations for the African Club Championship’s match between Simba and
the defending Nigerian champions, Enyimba are hotting up, Busiworld Corporation
Ltd. has donated Tsh. 50 million to Simba. In return the company will collect
the revenues generated from the match.
Simba will meet Enyimba in Mwanza at CCM Kirumba Stadium March 6, for a first
leg match before travelling for the return leg encounter in Aba, Nigeria two
weeks later.
Busiworld Director, Jamal Bayser signed the contract on behalf of his company,
which will see the club receiving enough money to buy air tickets to Mwanza.
Simba’s acting Secretary-General, Hassan Hassanol said part of the money would
be spent to prepare the team for the coming assignment while the rest would be
reserved to buy tickets for the return-leg match.
The match was earlier to be held in Dar es Salaam before being shifted to Mwanza
following the closure of the National Stadium.
Simba and Enyimba had their first encounter in the group stage of the 2003
African Club Championship. Simba then lost to the Nigerians 2-4 on aggregate,
following a 0-3 defeat in Aba and a 2-1 win in Dar es Salaam.
Savio make
spectacular comeback
By Burton Brown
Savio, the 2003 Kili RBA Champions, had a good start in their campaign to regain
all the lost glories by winning the National Basketball League title, in a
thrilling event at Mkwakwani Stadium court over the weekend.
Rejuvenated by the arrival of their industrious player Henry Mwinuka, Savio
clinched the title after winning all their seven matches on their way to the
much-sought title.
The team’s victory over their archrivals, JKT in the final match held on
Saturday assured the team’s unbeaten record in the weeklong tournament.
Savio beat JKT 59-31 with George Tarimo, Jije Makani and John Kitura starring
the score sheet.
“We have beaten the team that ousted us in the semi final of the 2004 Kili RBA
League. The win was a double consolation to us. We got revenge and a ticket to
climb the victors’ podium,” said Tarimo.
As during their glorious days, Henry Mwinuka was a playmaker for Savio whose
presence blocked Frank Kusiga of JKT from feeding his marksmen, Charles Makene
and Juma Kissoky.
Savio stormed into the lead in the first quarter with 20-6, making it 33-18
before the breather. The third quarter saw Savio leading 45-28.
Vijana City Bulls, also from Dar es Salaam, emerged the runners up, ahead of JKT
who took the second runner up position.
However, the JKT Ladies team had to console their brothers with a first position
after beating Jeshi Stars in another thrilling encounter held at the same venue.
Jeshi Stars were forced to a runners up spot, while Police Tanga walked home
with the second runner title.
The 2005 edition of the National Basketball League announced Evodia Kazinja of
JKT the best player in the women’s category while George Tarimo took the title
in the men’s category.
Arusha Rhinos
hit Dar Leopards 23-0
By Joyce Macha
Tanzania’s Rugby Champions, Rhinos of Arusha beat Dar Leopards 23-0 in the
second match of the Tanzania’s First Division League match, held over the
weekend at the Dar es Salaam Gymkhana ground.
After their huge win against TRU Combine, the hosts Dar Leopards completely
failed to outclass the visitors who looked better than the hosts in all
sections.
Dan Nicholson starred the scoring touch for Rhinos when he managed to convert
two tries, one conversion of a try and a conversion of a penalty. He left the
pitch with 15 points out of 23 which his team converted.
In the first half, Dar Leopards’ defence was excellent and managed to clear all
dangers directed to their goal. However their steam ended a few minutes before
the breather when things began to run against them.
Before halftime, the visitors were leading 8-0 with one try from Nicholson, who
soon added 3 points from a conversion of try. Other players who starred the
score sheet were Beck Ner and John Lloyd who managed one try each.
The National First Division Rugby League began last year with three teams: Moshi
Kilicats, Dar Leopards and Rhinos of Arusha who emerged the league winners for
the first time.
“With Mwanza and Morogoro already forming rugby teams we hope to have more teams
in the next year league season so that to make the league more challenging and
interesting,” said Tinus Aucamp, the National Team Coach and Manager.
Rugby, once an alien sport in Tanzania, has shown remarkable development since
the beginning of the year 2000.
Gymkhana,
Burhan in fierce battle Sunday
By Boogie Juma
Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Cricket team will face Annadil Burhan this weekend in an
epic battle for a ticket to play in the final stage of the Mwalimu Nyerere
Cricket tournament early next month.
Scheduled to take place at Dar es Salaam Gymkhana Club Grounds, the encounter
pit the teams, whose winner will play in the final stage.
Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) Development team has already qualified to
play in the final after winning all eight matches.
Annadil Burhan is slightly ahead of Dar Gymkhana in the points standing. They
are second positioned in the league after losing two matches while Gymkhana are
third after losing three matches.
Annadil Burhan’s key player, Taher Jiwajee said he and his team mates were
expecting a sweet victory.
“It will be a very tough match, but that will not stop us from kicking Dar
Gymkhana out of the scene,” he said
He said he was sure Annadil Burhan would emerge the victors and join TCA to play
in the final stage.
In the first leg between the two teams, Annadil Burhan won the match with 148
runs against 147 all out runs carded by Gymkhana.
Dar Dream Team hit Mombasa
By Burton Brown
Tanzania’s basketball star and top marksman, Charles Makene promised
Dar es Salaam a trophy following his visit to Mombasa where the Dar es Salaam
Combine will compete in the Intercity Basketball Championship.
Also as star player for JKT, Makene told The Express that effective training
both physical and tactical assured him of nothing less than a trophy.
Twenty four players both men and women, left on Monday afternoon for Mombasa,
Kenya, ahead of the 9th edition of the East and Central Africa Inter-City
competition, scheduled to start yesterday.
The chairman of the Dar es Salaam Basketball Association (DARBA), Simon Msofe,
named the players making up the women’s team as Amina Mohamed, Lucy Augustino,
Esther Nelson, Jabu Shaaban and Nipael Kessy.
Other players are Evodia Kazinja, Dorita Mbunda, Lulu Joseph, Nelly Anyingisye,
Grace Daudi, Kalova Kihwele and Aman Hasebenebi.
The men’s team include Jacob Malenga, Frank Kusiga, Yusuf Abdul, Charles Makene,
Abdallah Ramadhani(Dulla), George Tarimo, Juma Kisokky, John Kitula, Obote
Mwambongo, Gilbert Batungi, Okare Emesu and Albert Kasigara.
Zablon Manase and Tubert Matiku are the team coaches while officials
accompanying the team are Boniface Gosbert, Amina Kayeke, Mbaga Mwamboma and
Msoffe.
Other cities expected to take part in the tournament are Mwanza, Nairobi,
Kampala, Kigali, Bujumbura, Lusaka and Victoria-Seychelles.
Netball body
fails to pick national team
By Burton Brown
Tanzania’s Netball Association (CHANETA) has failed to fulfil its promise to
form a national squad due to constitutional constraints.
Speaking to The Express this week, the Assistant Secretary General of CHANETA,
Damian Chonya said the possibility of getting the team would be known in April
after completion of the discussion on constitutional amendments.
“‘We intended to have a team since the present committee came to power last
year. But the failure of the regions to elect their leaders in accordance with
the new constitution made the whole exercise a failure,” he said.
He said currently there were no leaders of CHANETA that have been elected in the
regions, only clubs are present.
Explaining further, Chonya said the government under the Ministry of Labour,
Youth Development and Sports advised the association to halt abruptly its
regional affairs until the netball body completes amending its constitution, and
later forward it to the National Sports Council for approval.
According to Chonya, CHANETA has already sent the constitution to officials of
the clubs in the regions so that they understand well the association’s modus
operandi.
Until today netball has been using veteran players. Most of the best ones are
over 30 since the body has failed to produce new talents from primary and
secondary schools.
Traditional sports top Girls
Sports Bonanza
By Joyce Macha
Old British athletics and traditional sports were the biggest
attractions in the 2005 edition of the Girls Sports Bonanza held over the
weekend at Shaaban Roberts Secondary School Grounds.
Cock race and sack race were new events for the girls and quickly got their
liking.
Organised by Right to Play, a Non-Government Organisation, in collaboration with
the National Sports Council (NSC), the girls competed in various sports and
games before attending a seminar on HIV/AIDS.
In a match of tug of war, Dar Stars beat Kisutu Secondary School.
The Right to Play team from Manzese emerged the
winners of the spoon and lemon race. TYCS won top prize in a rope race after
beating Dar Ras Queens in a thrilling finish.
The most interesting event to watch was the sack race. Milambo Queens won the
race. Other sports performed were basketball, netball, soccer, handball and
volleyball.
Unlike last year when teams from Kenya and Malawi participated in soccer,
netball and basketball, this year’s event had only players from Dar es
Salaam-based secondary schools and street teams run by NGO’s.
Swimming body
to pick new leaders
By Boogie Juma
Tanzania Swimming Association (TASA) is in its final preparation to
stage the General Election, which will be held in Dar es Salaam, April 9.
The Acting Chairman of TASA, Martin Mpembee said TASA had in principal agreed to
the meeting, which stakeholders and representatives of the National Sports
Council and Club representatives will attend.
According to Mpembee, the clubs that will send their representatives to the
meeting include Navy, Magereza, Dar Sharks, Dar Fishes, Chui, Police, Marine,
JKT (Dsm) Swimming Club and Wet &Wild, all from Dar es Salaam while Kiliomahewa
was the only team from the Coast Region.
Mpembee said TASA would start naming the candidates from February 28 to Match
28, before the candidates’ assessment takes place April 2.
Positions to be contested for are, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary General,
Assistant Secretary General, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and the five
positions on the Executive Committee.
In another development, Samson Makere, the Coach from Prisons Special Unit said
his team plans to inaugurate a series of friendly swimming competitions against
their rivals JKT Mbweni.
According to Makere, about 36 swimmers are expected to lock horns in free style,
backstrokes, butterfly relay and medley relay in both men and women disciplines.
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