Yanga's 30th trophy parade brings Dar es Salaam to a standstill

Dar es Salaam.  Young Africans (Yanga) players, leaders, members, and fans brought the streets of Dar es Salaam to a standstill while celebrating their 30th trophy.

The occasion, held on May 26, 2027, saw Yanga members and fans gather at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, where thousands of fans enjoyed their breakfast.

Read: Celebrations as Yanga officially crowned the 2023/2024 Tanzania Mainland Premier League champions

The trophy parade halted many activities, causing traffic congestion on various roads in the city centre. Yanga players, riding in an open-top special bus, held their trophy while fans walked kilometres from the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium to the club’s headquarters.

The club’s motorcade passed through Taifa Road toward Chang’ombe, Keko, Uhuru, and then to Kariakoo (Msimbazi Road).

Despite the sunny weather, fans were undeterred as they walked and ran, singing songs to commend their team players for winning the 30th title and taunting their traditional rivals, Simba.

The parade slowed down at Karume Market, where excited fans attempted to meet the Yanga players, who were in the special bus and failed to do so.

However, the team's right-back defender, Kouassi Attohoula Yao, was awarded a unique gift of a small sack of tomatoes.  Amid cheers, he caught it and handed it to the league's leading scorer, Stephane Aziz Ki.

When the parade arrived at Msimbazi Street, all activities seemed to stop as club members and players celebrated, interacting with Simba fans.  Players like Aziz Ki and Mahlatse Makudubela, alias Skudu, joked with Simba fans while lifting the trophy and dancing.  Simba fans responded by lifting a small trophy they had bought and waving their flags.

Special celebrations

As the parade reached the club house in Jangwani, celebrations intensified, causing traffic congestion on Kigogo Road and Jangwani’s Morogoro Road.

Many fans gathered at the club house, where various speeches were given by club leaders and players.

Yanga President Hersi Said's speech

Yanga’s President, Hersi Saidi, eased the pressure on their members and fans by assuring them that all potential players would continue to feature for the team next season.

Hersi also promised to strengthen the squad by signing more star players to enable the team to continue winning trophies in the Mainland Tanzania Premier League and perform well in the CAF Champions League. "No star players will leave the club; I assure you that our leadership will retain all potential players while signing the best ones for the next league season.

We have two plans: to continue dominating the Mainland Tanzania Premier League titles, including the Federation Cup, and to perform well in the CAF Champions League.

We qualified for the quarterfinals in this year’s edition; in the next edition of the CAF Champions League, we want to go beyond that," said Hersi.

He explained that the leadership is dedicated to making the team as big as possible not only in Tanzania but also on the continent. "We thank our members and fans for their support this season, and we request their continued support for the coming seasons," said Hersi.

Assistant captain Dickson Job's speech

For his part, Yanga’s assistant captain Dickson Job thanked the team members and fans for their support from the beginning of the season until they successfully won the 30th title.

 Job said that members and fans have spurred them on to fight hard. "We still have a task ahead in the CRDB Federation Cup match against Azam FC on June 2 at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar. We call for your support," said Job.

He added that Yanga are defending champions of the CRDB Federation Cup, and their aim is to win the trophy for the third time in a row.

Harmonize Performance

Famous Bongo Fleva artist Rajab Abdul Kahali, alias Harmonize, thrilled fans at the climax of the parade.

Harmonize, also known as Jeshi, used the stage to express his feelings for the club, performing with Aziz Ki and showing a two-finger sign, indicating that the Burkinabe midfielder has signed for another two years with the club. Also performing was Pado MC with his famous song "Humu Tu."