Dewji wins US Independence charity golf tournament title

Competitors included Information, Communication and IT minister Nape Nnauye; Constitutional and Legal Affairs minister Damas Ndumbaro and Retired Chief Secretary Ombeni Sefue.

Also on the list were Tanzania Golf Union (TGU) president Gilman Kasiga and Tanzania Ladies Golf Union (TLGU) president Queen Siraki.

There were also famous prominent male and female golfers, businesspeople and game stakeholders, who attended the event, which was staged to raise funds to help children with autism.

Dewji said he was proud to have won the inaugural competition despite facing stiff competition.

"I’m happy to win and make history in the competition that has been held for the first time. It wasn’t an easy task because every golfer aimed to win the silverware and the top prize of a trip to the United States," he said.

Dewji explained that the prize is also historic for him. "I hope to travel to the United States during the Masters golf tournament with the aim of gaining more experience," he said.

Speaking during the event, US ambassador to Tanzania Michael Battle, Sr commended all golfers and participants for taking part in the event, which also marked the country’s independence.

He said golf reflects fair business practices that all businesspeople should embrace.

"In golf, each golfer follows the same path and experiences similar obstacles. What you are required to do is find a way to counter the obstacles and finally succeed in a fair manner. In business, it's the same. You need to be keen all the time and play fairly," said Battle.

He also said the game is important for networking and exchanging views on various matters that lead to positive development.

Meanwhile, AmchamTZ board member Burak Buyuksarac said the institution represents a community of more than 100 Tanzanian and American businesses.

He said their objective is to be a voice for long-term investors in Tanzania as well as strive to facilitate an open, constructive and continuous dialogue among public, civil society, and private sector entities concerning trade and economic matters.

"We advocate policies based on solid evidence that aim to benefit the private sector. Additionally, we endeavour to raise the profile of our members nationally and internationally. Our aim is to serve as a bridge between businesses, foster enduring networks and collaborate with other business organisations to foster a more dynamic Tanzania.

“As we work towards these goals, we hope to witness the continued growth of US-Tanzania trade,” Buyuksarac said.

For his part, Tanzania Golf Union (TGU) president Gilman Kasiga commended AmchamTZ and the US embassy for celebrating the country's independence Day by organising a golf competition, thus stimulating the game’s development in Tanzania.

Kasiga said the event has increased the number of golf competitions in the country and TGU hopes that the competition will be sustained in the future.

Tanzania Ladies Golf Union (TLGU) president Queen Siraki echoed Kasiga’s comments, saying the competition has boosted the game’s development in the country.

Siraki said the number of participants showed that the game was drawing plenty of interest.