Simba’s bid for Jangwani fails

Simba SC Chairman Ismail Aden Rage has demanded to know in the National Assembly as to why the government has changed the use of Jangwani play grounds in Dar es Salaam.

Mr Ismail Aden Rage

The popular training grounds have been allocated to Bus Rapid Transport project (BRT).

Debating the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development budget estimates for the 2013/14 financial year on Tuesday, Rage, who is the Tabora Urban MP (CCM), revealed before the august House that the Msimbazi Street club had a plan to return to their old training base at Jangwani grounds.

He said the club had submitted a request to the city authorities for the official allocation of the team’s fully fledged training ground at Jangwani but to no avail. Records had it that both Simba and Young Africans used to train at the Jangwani grounds in the 1960 and 70s before Simba deserted the popular spot for other locations.

Yanga have since made the place their permanent base and plans are afoot for the club’s massive stadium project in the area to accommodate 40,000 seated fans. On the other hand, Simba have to date failed to secure a permanent training base and have been reduced to mere nomadic team.

Thanks to the Acting Vice-Chairman, Joseph Itangire alias Mzee Kinesi, who has accorded the team with a temporarily training ground off Shekilango road, Ubungo.

Rage wondered why the Dar es Salaam city fathers disobeyed President Jakaya Kikwete’s order to stop allocating the grounds for other developments. The outspoken Simba boss said President Kikwete came hard on people who have invaded Jangwani grounds and ordered the demolition of a complex built at an open space but nothing has happened to date, instead the grounds have seen massive development of BRT infrastructures.


Speaking when inaugurating the construction of a stretch of New Bagamoyo Road between Mwenge and Tegeta, President Kikwete said Jangwani grounds have always been and should be maintained as an open ground meant for sporting, social activities, national and political activities.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Bunge session on Tuesday, Rage told the ‘Daily News’ that the club’s leadership will continue to press for a training ground, saying already they have submitted a request to the Ilala Municipal Mayor, Jerry Silaa for the same.

“He has not responded but the club will continue to push the authorities to secure a training ground anywhere else not necessarily in Jangwani,” Rage said. Regarding the allocated land/site in Bunju, Rage said it has not been neglected, saying plans were still ongoing for a massive development in the area, which will begin with a one stop shopping mall.

“In fact, plans are on horizon to set up a state-of- the-art shopping mall, which is currently a priority to the leadership because we believe it will help us recover invested money quickly than the stadium project,” he said, adding that funds that will be collected from the mall project will then be reinvested for a proposed 60,000 capacity stadium project in the same area.

Simba announced three years ago that it has entered into negotiations with a Turkish firm to construct the stadium in Bunju, but Rage wouldn’t wish to comment further on the deal. Several other MPs including Lucy Owenya (Special Seats -CHADEMA), Augustino Maselle (Mbogwe – CCM) and Ester Matiku (Special Seats – CHADEMA) also spoke strongly against the invasion of open spaces especially play grounds, saying such tendency should be put to a stop now.

By NASONGELYA KILYINGA, Tanzania Daily News

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