Author: ELKANA KUHENGA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: ZANZIBAR President Hussein Ali Mwinyi has vowed to improve sports activities including holding discussions with sports stakeholders on how to improve the sector.
The move will surely brighten the image of the sports sector in Zanzibar by cultivating the spirit that had once existed some years in the past.
President Mwinyi made the remarks while addressing the public at the State House, on Thursday and this was after his announcement of his cabinet.
“About sports, I have addressed this matter several times during my campaigns. As I said before, I am ready to conduct a round table talks with sport stakeholders to discuss and highlight any constructive idea to improve sports.”
“If there were good examples set regarding the establishment of different titles and there are specific mechanisms to make sports better, I am ready to implement them.”
“I will direct the minister in charge to ensure that we sit down with the stakeholders so that all that was elevating sports and games to be implemented once again but we should also adapt new methods to ensure sports and games return to the best level as we had been in the past years.”
The sports sector has been placed under the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports under the leadership of Tabia Maulid Mwita.
Zanzibar has indeed got talents; among the talents include Feisal Salum who showed an outstanding performance in the debut against Tunisia where he scored an equalizing goal in the 46th minute that brought Tanzania back on line for another AFCON qualification opportunity.
In the past years Zanzibar club Malindi Sport Club was among the top teams in Africa that dominated Tanzania and East Africa. Due to its outstanding performance it was ranked third in Africa from 1989 to 1992.
In 1994 they managed to reach the African Cup Winners Cup semis but they were not lucky to lift the title. In 1995 Zanzibar Heroes wrote history after being crowned the CECAFA title when they smashed Uganda 1-0.
In 2006, Zanzibar was a provisional member of the N.F-Board (Nouvelle Fédération-Board) and participated in FIFI (Federation of International Football Independents) World Cup.
Zanzibar took second place after losing 4-1 on penalties to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the final. FIFI World Cup was an alternative FIFA World Cup, held from 29th May to 3rd June 2006 in Germany.
Apart from soccer Zanzibar has been doing well in the athletics, especially in sprint and judo.
