SportPesa Cup Will Foster Kenya, Tanzania Integration- Kazungu
15th January 2019
Kenya High Commissioner calls on travelling Kenyan fans to shun hooliganism during their stay in Dar whether their teams win and lose, urging them to maintain high levels discipline
- Speaking on Tuesday afternoon when organisers paid him a courtesy call at the High Commission in the Tanzanian commercial capital, Kazungu noted the eight team invitational tournament has played a key role in boosting tourism between Kenya and Tanzania
- Kazungu told the team of organisers he would petition other African ambassadors in Dar during their weekly meeting on Thursday to rally their nationals to attend the tournament in an effort of using the event as a vehicle to showcase the best in regional football across the continent
- Gor clinched the title last year when they floored Simba SC 2-0 at the final played at Afraha Stadium, Nakuru on June 10 to retain the crown they first won in Dar when they thumped local arch rivals Leopards 3-0
DAR-ES-SALAAM, TANZANIA- Kenya High Commissioner to Tanzania, Dan Kazungu says the 2019 SportPesa Super Cup in Dar-es-Salaam later this month will foster integration between the two countries.
Speaking on Tuesday afternoon when organisers paid him a courtesy call at the High Commission in the Tanzanian commercial capital, Kazungu noted the eight team invitational tournament has played a key role in boosting tourism between Kenya and Tanzania.
The third edition of the tournament formally known as SportPesa Super Cup will be hosted in Dar from Sunday to January 27 with eight teams- four each from Tanzania and Kenya- taking part in knockout competition.
“The tournament has become a highlight of the soccer season in Kenya and Tanzania. I’m encouraged because that is how you expose talent.
“By SportPesa engaging in a decisive way on building football, they are giving opportunity to young people to be exposed at international level and this is welcome news to them,” the envoy and former Cabinet Secretary for Fisheries highlighted.
Kazungu told the team of organisers he would petition other African ambassadors in Dar during their weekly meeting on Thursday to rally their nationals to attend the tournament in an effort of using the event as a vehicle to showcase the best in regional football across the continent.
“For us as mission, we see sports an opportunity to bring people together. When Kenyan and Tanzanians engage each other in sporting activities and the public coming to support in a friendly way, that is how you start growing our relations and better our integration,” the High Commissioner emphasised.
Roaring support
“We want as many Kenyans, Tanzanians and other Africans to come to the stadium to give roaring support and our team will do everything to support,” he added.
Kazungu called on travelling Kenyan fans to shun hooliganism during their stay in Dar whether their teams win and lose, urging them to maintain high levels discipline.
“This should be a showcase of talent and people coming together. We don’t want such shows that will mess up what is a well thought out event for all of us,” the former Member of Parliament for Malindi Constituency in the Kenyan coast cautioned.
Kazungu stated that Habiba Seby, a Minister Counsellor II at the High Commission who is in charge of coordinating Kenyan diaspora community in Tanzania would be the official in charge of the welfare of visiting teams and fans.
“We will ensure that our visiting teams and fans operate with a lot of discipline and we do not expect a lot of challenges. Discipline is vital to the tournament’s success,” Mark Ouma, who is the officer in charge of international matches at Football Kenya Federation guaranteed the envoy.
First team
The leading bookmakers and organisers SportPesa team in the courtesy call delegation were John Mwakalonge (Marketing Manager), Sabrina Msuya (Public Relations) and Doreen Kwayu (Brand Manager) from Tanzania as well as Elizabeth Njega (Assistant Marketing Manager, Partnerships, Football), Tom Bwana (Activations and Partnerships) from Kenya.
AFC Leopards SC will be the first team to arrive for the tournament from Kenya on Saturday followed by Bandari FC, Kariobangi Sharks FC later in the day with two-time winners Gor Mahia FC checking in early hours of Monday morning.
Simba SC, Yanga SC, Singida United FC and newcomers Mbao FC from Mwanza will fly the Tanzanian flag at the knockout tournament where the winner will host English Premier League side Everton FC later in the year as well as taking home USD30,000.
Gor clinched the title last year when they floored Simba SC 2-0 at the final played at Afraha Stadium, Nakuru on June 10 to retain the crown they first won in Dar when they thumped local arch rivals Leopards 3-0.
The record 17-time Kenyan league winners went on to play Everton in Dar and Goodison Park in that order in July 2017 and last November, going down 1-2 and 0-4 in that order.
“Whether a team from Kenya or Tanzania wins, fans should take it in the spirit of sport and motivate the loser to try hard next year. SportPesa should consider involving teams from Uganda and the rest of Africa and beyond in future,” Kazungu rallied.