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The ugly truth about Tanzanian football
Simba and Young Africans players in action during a past Premier League match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. PHOTO | FILE
By Ibrahim Katunzi
Tanzanian football is in chaos. The level of unprofessionalism, disorganisation, and outright lawlessness surrounding the sport is beyond comprehension. The recent Simba-Yanga match fiasco, where one team was blocked from training by security personnel allegedly loyal to the opposing club, is just another disgraceful chapter in a league that has been reduced to a playground for hooligans, incompetent officials, and political interests.
What unfolded before the so-called Kariakoo Derby is something that should never happen in any self-respecting football league. Yet, this is Tanzania—where rules are optional, enforcement is selective, and fanatics override professionalism.
TPLB’s weak response
The Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) issued a reactionary and indecisive statement that exposed its lack of authority. Instead of enforcing clear standards and consequences, it stumbled through a series of contradictory statements, as if caught off guard by something it should have prevented.
How does a governing body fail to ensure that teams get fair access to stadiums for pre-match training? How does a board watch a crisis unfold and do nothing? Their hesitation to take immediate action shows why Tanzanian football is stuck.
TPLB’s failure sends a clear message: chaos is acceptable, and rules are negotiable. This is why the league struggles to gain international respect—because it refuses to govern itself properly.
The rot in Tanzanian football
The Simba-Yanga rivalry is supposed to elevate Tanzanian football, but instead, it exposes its deep flaws. The reality is that the entire football ecosystem is dysfunctional.
Unqualified people hold critical positions, from club management to match organisation. Corruption, favouritism, and political interference have turned football into a battleground for egos rather than a professional sport.
Even worse, fanatical club allegiance blinds supporters to real issues. A Simba fan will defend Simba at all costs, no matter how wrong they are, and a Yanga fan will do the same. Instead of demanding professionalism and fairness, fans are too busy waging social media wars. This blind loyalty is killing the sport.
Hooliganism and unofficial groups
Tanzania has normalised hooliganism under the disguise of “passionate fan culture”. Groups like “Makomandoo wa Yanga” have infiltrated the game, intimidating opponents, interfering with match logistics, and influencing outcomes in ways that should never be tolerated in professional sports. These are not just “fans”—they are an extension of club politics, operating in the shadows with no accountability.
In European leagues, hooliganism was tackled decades ago through strict security policies, fan licensing, and heavy legal consequences. Tanzania, on the other hand, has embraced the culture instead of eliminating it. No private groups, political strongmen, or fan armies should be anywhere near matchday operations. If Tanzania wants to move forward, it must end this nonsense.
Too many people, too little professionalism
Tanzanian football has too many “stakeholders” who contribute absolutely nothing to its growth. If you walk into any major football meeting, you will find more politicians, business opportunists, and self-proclaimed football experts than actual professionals.
This bloated system is why football governance is a joke. Everyone wants a seat at the table, but very few bring any expertise or ideas that benefit the game. If Tanzania introduced a licensing system for club administrators, half of them wouldn’t even qualify.
I say this with firsthand experience. I once worked for a sports sponsorship management company that handled deals for Simba, Yanga, and Taifa Stars. I saw the disorganisation, the wasted opportunities, and the incompetence up close. Instead of creating a thriving football industry, Tanzanian football is a circus of misplaced priorities.
Media bias and blind support
Even the media—which should be holding football authorities accountable—has become deeply partisan. Journalists and media houses now align themselves with specific clubs rather than focusing on the bigger picture. Simba-affiliated media will always push Simba’s agenda, Yanga-affiliated media will always push Yanga’s agenda. Where is the objectivity?
Football in Tanzania is being ruined not just by club mismanagement but by a culture that refuses to hold anyone accountable. When the media refuses to expose incompetence, hooliganism, and corruption, then who will?
The bigger picture
Tanzania is blessed with immense football talent and a commercially viable league, but its potential is being destroyed by recklessness, unprofessionalism, and a refusal to reform.
If we do not fix governance, eliminate hooligan groups, hold club officials accountable, and demand higher standards from fans and the media, then Tanzanian football will never reach its true potential.
This is not just a football issue—it is a national disgrace. Someone, somewhere, needs to clean up this mess.
Ibrahim Kyaruzi is a strategic communications consultant
