Tanzania: Zanzibar Heroes Fund-Raising Gala Raises 58 Million

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

Issa Yussuf

28 March 2011

Zanzibar — ZANZIBAR President Ali Mohamed Shein called upon the Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA) to be more focused on the development of the game in the Islands.

He said this here over the weekend during a special fund-raising dinner event in support of the isles national team, ‘Zanzibar Heroes’.

Over 58m/- (out of the targeted US 200,000 dollars) were pledged at the fund-raising gala held at the Zanzibar Beach Resort with SuperSports TV Africa President Garry Rasborne promising to have a monthly sports magazine “on channel 9 to focus on Zanzibar’s sports development.”

Futures Century Sports Limited, the organizers of the event, DSTV, Azam FC, Manchester United fans in Zanzibar, United Petroleum Company, Zanzibar Ports Corporation, ZSSF, ZRB, ZIC, Department of Foreign relations, First Vice-President Office, Zanzibar Telecoms, PBZ, ZANTEL and individuals were among the many in the list of who made promises to support the national team (Zanzibar Heroes).

Hellen Masanja, Century’s Media and Communications Director said that the amount to be collected would assist to manage, maintain, develop, promote and sustain the Zanzibar Heroes.

The project manager, Martha Enock, said that similar fund-raising event would be held in Dar es Salaam and President Jakaya Kikwete is expected to be the guest of honour. “We entered into five-year contract programme with ZFA, aiming at helping the Zanzibar national team raise funds for sustainable training ahead of the regional (CECAFA) tournaments.

We need your support,” Martha said. Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the Zanzibar Heroes keeper, Farouk Ramadhan, said they need much support from the government and all sports fans.

The Zanzibar Heroes head coach Stewart Hall said, “Zanzibar players are hard working, talented and disciplined. They played well in the last CECAFA tournament, but we could not win the trophy mainly because the players were underfed, insufficient training, and poor facilities.”

President Shein reiterated on the government’s commitments to support sports and the national team.

“Our country needs sports management which is fully dedicated for the success of our team as well as the efficient supervision of the local clubs. We would not like to see our teams miss opportunities due to squabbles and mismanagement within ZFA,” Shein said.

The president thanked all those who promised to support Zanzibar Heroes. “We must recognize the value of football in our national culture and its synergies with economic development, national unity and international friendship.”

The Zanzibar Minister for Sports, Abdillahi Jihad Hassan, noted that what Zanzibar wanted was support for its national team and the development of soccer in the islands.

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