SIMBA, YANGA CLASH: MAY THE BEST SIDE WIN

Football fans are expected to throng the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium to watch traditional footballing rivals Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba Sports Clubs in action today.

That is when the two teams – Yanga and Simba – battle it out for points in their encounter in the second round of Mainland Tanzania Premier League season.

Today’s match is bound to be thrilling – if past encounters between the two bitter soccer rivals are anything to judge by.

As per record, Yanga are at the top after collecting 54 points from 20 matches while Simba are placed second with 41 points from 19 matches.

It is decisive match for Simba if they want to defend their title in this season. If they lose, Yanga will be 95 percent champions. Records show that Yanga are yet to lose a single match since the start of the league while Simba have lost two matches.

This means that apart from targeting to reduce the point gap, Simba also have the mission of spoiling Yanga’s unbeaten run. Indeed, winning, drawing and losing matches are soccer’s ‘natural characteristics.’

What is important is that football clubs and their teams must always bear in mind that their first and foremost task is to give back to fans value for their money – displaying quality, entertaining football at all times. For their part, soccer club leaders and fans must always be well-behaved, and not be riotous even under the most trying circumstances – including poor/biased refereeing or when their teams lose matches.

Equally important is for match officials to do their job impartially, always adhering to the 17 hallowed soccer rules and other guidelines by the world soccer governing body Fifa and its national representatives.

Simba and Yanga are held in high esteem in the country and the continent. They set standards for other clubs. May they demonstrate their leadership even in crucial ties like that of today.

The clarion call should always be: May the better team win!

CONTROL ‘PANYA ROAD’ MENACE

The resurfacing of a teenage armed gang going under the name of “Panya Road’ needs to be given its due weight by each peace-loving member of the public as the gang dents the good image of Tanzania while becoming a hurdle to people development.

It was recently reported in the press that the gang, using sharp objects, had stormed homes, looted property, terrorized and injured residents of Chanika suburbs in the City of Dar es Salaam, which is taken as a role model of peace in the country.

The incident evokes memories when the Panya Road used similar technics of illegally accomplishing their mission of looting property in different parts of the City in the eyes of security organs.

It is just recently that President Samia Suluhu Hassan was in the US to promote Tanzania’s Royal Tour documentary with the aim of attracting more tourists and investors to the country.

So, with the Panya Road incident having occurred, it is obvious that those interested in investing in and visiting our country might be hesitant to do so for fear of their safety and security.

This resurgency of Panya Road might be a telling sign that some people are sleeping on their jobs. It is crucial that proper action be taken against them. Similarly, the country needs more programmes that would keep the youth engaged and give them a sense of direction.

It is high time our security agencies including the police, found a lasting solution to the chronic challenge of this group of teenage hooligans posing threats to innocent people.