Tanzania: Kaizer Chiefs Ruled Out of Dar Tourney

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

Majuto Omary

22 June 2011

Dar es Salaam — South African heavyweights Kaizer Chiefs have been excluded from a high-profile tournament slated for next month at the National Stadium. Organisers of the four-team tourney, Lumuli Marketing Tty Limited, told The Citizen yesterday that the South African team will not make it due to having a tight pre-season schedule.

“Kaizer Chiefs seem to have a tight schedule, therefore we have decided to rule them out of the July event,” said the firm’s managing director, Lungile Sidwell Jan. The tournament will now feature: Asante Kotoko of Ghana, Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Simba Sports Club and Young Africans, both of Tanzania Mainland.

Jan also disclosed that the two-day tournament has been rescheduled to July 16 from the earlier kick-off date of July 9. Pressed to reveal the reason behind fixing a new date, the official could not say why exactly they pushed the tournament back.

“There are some minor issues which haven’t gone according to our plan, but I assure soccer fans that the mentioned teams will come to Dar es Salaam for the event,” Jan said.The official said the tournament is organised with a view of marking the official launch of the Johannesburg-based firm in the country.

“It’ll be a special tournament. We held a series of talks with officials of Simba and Young Africans last month, and fortunately, they agreed to compete,” he added.

“Right now, we’re in talks with our sponsors,” he said. However, he was not ready to name the sponsors.

However, The Citizen has learnt that two brewing companies were locking horns over the right of sponsoring the inaugural event.According to Jan, the money to be raised during the planned tournament would go to the needy.

He said the beneficiaries would include 200 primary schools in the country. “We want to pay back to the community by joining hands with relevant authorities in helping out the needy,” he said.Jan and his team have already notified the national soccer body, TFF, on the matter and got the nod.

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