Mainland Premier League giants Simba have expressed intention to withdraw from the 2013 Kagame Club Cup to be held in Darfur citing security concerns, with defending champions Yanga describing CECAFA’s decision to stage the tournament in the troubled region a ‘scandal.’
Mr Ismail Aden Rage
Simba Chairman Ismail Aden Rage said the club is contemplating to pull out of the championship following government warning that security conditions are critical in Darfur region in western Sudan. “We’re going to call an impromptu executive committee meeting to discuss this matter.
It is obvious that there is a state of insecurity in Darfur as confirmed by the government through the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,” Rage said. “CECAFA must change the venue otherwise we won’t go to Darfur, we’re not going to put on bullet proofs vest.
CECAFA should decide on another venue, failure to that we will not honour the tournament for the first time in our history,” he added. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Bernard Membe told the National Assembly that the government fails to understand the rationale of the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) to choose Darfur as one of the hosts.
Darfur, which has been devastated by civil war since 2003, is set to host the 2013 CECAFA Club Championships starting June 18 to July 5, this year and Tanzania teams due to play are two-time defending champions Young Africans, former champions Simba and Zanzibar’s Super Falcon.
“We are not sure of the security and safety of our players while in Darfur, the region where all guests are received by armed forces in bullet proof motorcades and vests. There are not even hotels to accommodate our players,” Membe said. Responding to the matter, the chairman of Yanga registration and competitions committee Abdallah Bin Kleb faulted CECAFA’s decision to stage the regional championship in Darfur amid insecurity fears.
“First of all I call it a scandal for CECAFA leadership to decide to take the tournament there while they’re not well informed on its security. As of this matter we’re right behind our government,” Bin Kleb said. Bin Kleb urged CECAFA to rescue the tournament from being shelved by taking it to another venue that would guarantee participants’ security, adding that the club would soon announce their decision on whether they pull out from the event or not.
Just few days ago, Yanga wrote to the Tanzania Football Federation, expressing concerns over what the club described a state of insecurity in Darfur.
TFF Secretary General Angetile Osiah, however, allayed the fears of the newly-crowned Mainland Champions, saying relative peace is reigning in Darfur, one of the reasons CECAFA bosses have approved of the area to host this year’s competition. He said Sudan as host a country has assured them of safety.
CECAFA opted to take the tournament to Darfur with a view to help the region in the development and implementation of various growth projects and staging the show here successfully will be proof of some stability.
Source Tanzania Daily News
