Africa-Press – Tanzania. CHINA’s State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Tanzania on Thursday just 24 hours after Simba sailed into the group stage of CAF Champions League with a hefty 4-0 win over FC Platinum at the Chinese built Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Had he been there when Simba demolished FC Platinum of Zimbabwe, it would be a throwback to the situation created ten years when the then President of China, Hua Jintao initiated the construction of the ultramodern sports arena in a move christened Crystallisation of China-Tanzania friendship.
With Simba being the most vibrant beneficiary of the arena after making big headlines at the venues, the stadium in general has enabled Tanzania sports to write a good chapter there as the national senior, junior and women teams.
In a few words Benjamin Mkapa stadium is arguably the China-Tanzania project that has uplifted the status of sports in Tanzania, besides what Simba have achieved recently.
President Jintao and Kikwete officially unveiled the impressive Tanzania National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, the nation’s capital in 2009.
While Hu lauded it as a “crystallisation of China-Tanzania friendship”, Kikwete said the new sports facilities would offer a massive boost to his country’s soccer and athletics teams.
With 60,000 seats, the all-purpose venue is the largest in east Africa, with the Daily News calling it “a catalyst for sport”.
The stadium has been pillar of sportsmanship, Tanzanian solidarity and friendship event today when the foreign minister tours Tanzania.
Among the historical events hosted here include the matches with World Cup on bound teams of Brazil and New Zealand.
“Most of us like football and the stadium has helped Simba stamp authority as the most successful clubs in Tanzania and even in East and Central Africa,” Simba’s Information officer and the club’s match promoters, Haji Manara was once quoted as saying.
The Tanzania national team, nicknamed the Taifa Stars, has made it its permanent home after a winning streak there including qualification to CHAN, Africa Cup of Nations several times.
The Chinese designed Benjamin Mkapa, according to Jia Jianhui, the general manager of Beijing Construction Engineering Group Co Ltd, Tanzania Branch, is worth $56-million and was largely funded by the Chinese government.
The project was the brainchild of ex-Tanzania president Benjamin Mkapa and President John Magufuli ordered it renamed Benjamin Mkapa.
Preparations for its construction began in 2004 and Jia said his company ran into a lot of difficulties – including the local port being unable to cope with the large structures that had been prefabricated in China. But he was thankful for help from the Tanzania government and ports in neighbouring countries.
The first national stadium has now changed to Uhuru stadium as it was built before the country won independence in 1961.
