Kirit, Navraj
shine for TZ in Nairobi rally
By Burton Brown
As Glen Edmunds and Des Page-Morris starred for the 1-2-3-4 Kenyan supremacy in
the 53rd KCB Safari Rally Kenya, Tanzanian Kirit Pandya stopped the Kenyans from
producing the best 10 drivers in the event.
Under the navigation of Asit Thanki, Kirit took the fifth position in the fifth
edition of the FIA African Rally Championship that climaxed over the weekend at
Kenyatta International Conference Centre.
Driving a Subaru Impreza, the Tanzanians clocked 4 hours, 28 minutes and 20
seconds followed by another Tanzanian, Navraj Hans and Frank Gitau who were the
second best foreign drivers.
The Arusha-based driver clocked 4 hours 33 minutes 48 seconds in front of
Zambians Paul Monge and Ray Thornicraft in 5 hours, 00 minute and 29 seconds.
Issa Mohamed and Awadh Bafadhil who ended 16th overall were the fourth best of
the non-Kenyan drivers. The Tanga-based duo clocked 6 hours, 18 minutes and 44
seconds despite rolling thrice in the final day.
Eight Tanzanian drivers took part in the KCB Kenya Rally, but only three managed
to reach the podium at KICC Square in the heart of Nairobi.
Azar Anwar and Farakh Yusuf finished a close third to Aslam, due to a penalty
given by the Stewards of 6 minutes for a minor technical infringement on his
car’s suspension lower arms. At the end of the first leg, Azar Anwar was poised
to challenge for the lead when the FIA Technical Delegate found the car to have
lower arms than the Evo 5 and not Evo 6. Anwar attempted to make up for lost
time and set the fastest times in all sections of the second leg, but just
failed to catch Sammy Aslam who finished one minute ahead.
31 cars, 29 homolo gated, started the ARC Safari Rally with the entire top
runner falling by the wayside due to mechanical problems. Championship leader
Muna Singh and David Sihoka of Zambia lost the clutch when the pin on the
bearing came out. ARC contender Riyaz Kurji and Sayed Kadri had 3 punctures in
the second stage and had to stop.
Kenyan Alastair Cavenagh broke his driveshaft and eventually the gearbox, Lee
Rose broke a front suspension strut, Carl Tundo broke his drive shaft and
gearbox like his team mate Cavenagh. Tanzanian Omar Bakhressa had an engine
failure as did all the Tanzanian drivers Ahmed Hewel, Saleh Balhabou and Pano
Calavaris. All the Tanzanians suffered engine-mapping problems in the car
computers.
Muna Singh of Zambia still leads the African Rally Championship series, and the
top positions remain unchanged after all the top contenders retired in the
Kenyan round.
The next round of the ARC is the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally 12/14th August.
Arusha all set for athletics
championship 2005
By Kazzi Ally, Arusha
The 2005 edition of the National Amateur Athletics Championship starts tomorrow
at Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium, Arusha.
The event has been organized to take place this week after securing a
sponsorship from Tanzania Breweries Limited.
In this year’s championship, the host Arusha, together with Kilimanjaro and
Simanjiro regions, are poised to star in the long distance races, while
Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam and Coast regions have their sights on supremacy in the
sprinting categories.
Nyambui, silver medallist in the Moscow Olympic Games, will be contending
against the current title holder, Juma Ikangaa, Tanzania’s most celebrated
marathoner.
The championship will be followed by the Annual General Meeting, prior to the
General Election after the end of the racing session. Tanzania national
athletics coach, Suleiman Nyambui is one of the candidates for the top posts in
the Tanzania Amateur Athletics Association (TAAA). Nyambui, one of the most
respected athletes, will vie for the TAAA’s secretary’s post.
Other candidates for the association’s top posts for contesting include the
national team coach, Francis John, John Bayo and Arusha businessman, Henry
Nyiti.
Kili RBA fever grips Vijana,
Savio
By Express Reporter
Archrivals Vijana ‘City Bulls’ and Savio have continued their training at Zanaki
and Don Bosco training bases in preparations for the 2005 edition of the Kili
RBA League, scheduled for July 24 at the National Indoor Stadium.
This year’s league has attracted 14 men’s and women’s teams from Dar es Salaam.
It should be really exciting for the spectators.
Savio’s top marksman, Michael Mwita said the players’ commitment to the training
was thanks to the team’s excellent performance in the national basketball league
held in Tanga last month.
“We have been a winning side since ending third in the Kili RBA league of last
year. We then rectified our mistakes and managed to win two other national
championships in Tanga and Dar es Salaam,” he said.
However, Mwita said that losing their Kili RBA League title last year also
forced them to work extra hard to make sure that it does not happen again.
“I am sure Savio will clinch the union title this year from the way we are
trying for the event. We have only to beat Vijana and JKT in order to win the
title. These two teams, however, will not represent much danger to us after our
good training,” he said.
Vijana said at Zanaki School court that they failed to shine in last year’s
league due to poor training, which according to the team’s coach, Manase Zablon
won’t happen again this year.
Vijana’s best performances in last’s year league were winning the Kili Super Cup
league and reaching the final of the 2004 Kili RBA League.
However, the team had a poor performance in other basketball competitions like
the Union Cup and the national basketball championship, which took place in Dar
es Salaam three months ago.
TZ men’s netball team vow to
retain title
By Joyce Macha
JKT men’s netball team has assured Tanzanians that they will retain the East
African netball title they won during the inaugural tournament, held last year
at the National Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The team is part of the contingent of the Tanzanian men’s and women’s national
netball sides, picked to represent the country in the East African Challenge Cup
to be held in Kampala from July 27.
Fielding most of the players from JKT Basketball team, the men’s team will bank
on Charles Makene, Frank Kusiga, Ashraf Harun and Frank Simkoko for a
spectacular performance in Kampala.
“We won easily in Dar es Salaam, and we don’t expect much opposition from the
Kenyan and Ugandan teams in the championship. We have trained well for the event
to assure you a good performance in Kampala,” said Frank Kusiga who plays in the
central position.
Other players in the team include Tumsifu Apolo, Hafidh Ramadhani, Liberatus
Crispin, Benjamin Maguga and Charles Dominic.
JKT also has a good number of players in the women’s team, according to the
announcement of a list of players by Martha Kivuyo, Secretary General of the
Tanzanian Amateur Netball Association (Chaneta).
Kivuyo named the players as Nipael Kessy, Nelly Anyingisye, Evodia Kazinja,
Dorith Mbunda and Grace Daudi. Fatma Jaba and Jane Issa are from Jeshi Stars.
From Prisons come Doris Mangara (Magereza), Mligo Mbale and Zena Kibayasa while
Mapinduzi Dodoma is represented by Tina Moses.
Other players in the list include Elizabeth Christopher, Rehema Mamulya (Polisi
Dar), Nyirabu Maximillian and Aveline Kakoloja (Polisi Mara) and Neema Emmanuel
(Polisi Tanga).
Tegeta, Tambaza etc. in
soccer Cup semis
By Burton Brown
Tegeta Secondary School soccer team will meet Kinondoni Muslims in the first
semi final match in the Civics Education Cup at the University of Dar es Salaam
grounds this weekend.
Tegeta, the group A leaders, will lock horns with Kinondoni, the runners up of
Group B, while Tambaza School are pitted against Al Muntazir who were runners of
Group A.
Tegeta led their group with nine points after winning all their three matches,
including the impressive 4-0 victory over St Anthony’s Seminary on Sunday.
In that, Al Muntazir took runner up position with 4 points like Jitegemee
Secondary school, but with more goals scored
The non-governmental organization, Agenda Participation 2000, organised the
tournament, which included civics education through to secondary school
students.
WBO – Marwa knocks out Kenyan
Omondi
By Burton Brown, Nairobi
Tanzania’s professional boxer, Joseph Marwa knocked Kenyan Lucas Omondi out in
the World Boxing Organisation encounter held in Nairobi over the weekend.
Marwa finished Omondi off in the fourth round, after the Kenyan failed to block
the punch from the determined Tanzanian boxer.
Held at Kenyan National Lottery Club Hall in Nairobi, the bout was organised by
the Kenya Professional Boxing Association for the open WBO title.
The fans who attended the bout gave huge support to their boxer whenever he was
on the offensive, before Marwa silenced them in the fourth round after flooring
the Kenyan.
The first round saw the Kenyan on attacking form sending a series of quick jabs
that made things difficult for Marwa.
Marwa came quite changed in the second round and began to send well-calculated
punches at Omondi. In this round, the Kenyan was floored twice from the heavy
punches he received.
The situation became tough for the Kenyan boxer in the third and fourth rounds
when he was made to swim in punches that found bulls’ eyes on his face. Marwa
polished off his opponent in the fourth round before being declared the winner
of the bout.
A number of Tanzanians who attended the bout carried Marwa on their shoulders to
celebrate the victory. Marwa told The Express that the fight earned him a ticket
to fight for the WBO Title.
Arusha football club in turmoil
By Burton Brown, Arusha
Arusha’s representatives in the Vodacom Premier League, Arusha FC have been left
in chaos following last week’s dispute between players and officials.
The team’s players took their belongings and decided to vamoose because they
were dissatisfied with the share allocated to them from the gate, after their
match against Simba over the weekend.
According to sources from inside the club, players said they would continue with
training when the club’s management paid them Tsh. 40,000 each.
The Public Relationship officer of the Club, Dionis Moyo, admitted that there
was a dispute.
Moyo said there was an agreement between players and the management that if the
team won the match, players would get 50 per cent of the gate collection and 25
per cent if the team finished with a draw. They would get 10 per cent if the
team lost the match.
He said the team drew with Simba 2-2 hence they were entitled to receive 25 per
cent, but the players wanted more.