Samia boosts morale of Yanga, Simba teams

Combined photo of President Samia Suluhu Hassan with Simba's striker Moses Phiri and Yanga's striker Fiston Mayele. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • President Samia realizes the importance of sports in the country and has promised to motivate the two teams competing in the prestigious African club championships.

Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has boosted the morale of Tanzania’s envoys, Simba and Yanga, competing in the continental club championships after promising to buy each goal for Sh5 million during the weekend’s CAF matches of the two teams.

Simba, who compete in the African Champions League, will face Raja Casablanca of Morocco on Saturday from 7pm at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Yanga, who feature in the CAF Confederation Cup, will meet TP Mazembe of the DR Congo on Sunday at the same venue and at the same time.

The two teams started the competitions poorly by losing their away matches as Simba were defeated 1-0 by Guinea’s Horoya AC and Yanga lost 2-0 to Tunisia’s US Monastir. The two football giants in the country arrived yesterday in the country.

Speaking to news editors in Dar es Salaam yesterday, chief government spokesman Gerson Msigwa said President Samia realizes the importance of sports in the country has promised to motivate the two teams competing in the prestigious African club championships.

“Our president understands the importance of sports in the country and has given that motivation as our teams play international matches this weekend, now it is the job of Simba and Yanga players to score as many goals as possible in order to put Tanzania in a good position in the competitions,” said Msigwa.

He said the players of two teams have the task of proving their worth in the competitions after losing their away games and reviving their hopes of qualifying for the quarterfinal stages.

“It is the task of Yanga and Simba players to score as many goals as possible. If you score 10 goals you will pocket Sh50 million, if you score 20 goals you will take home Sh100 million. The important thing is to make sure your respective teams win the matches,” said Msigwa.

In addition, Msigwa said the President is aware of the importance of sports in the country because they promote the country outside its borders.

She recently supported the entertainment industry by providing loans to various artistes aiming at developing their artistic works for the development of the nation.