Court orders Yanga's president and leadership to step down

Dar es Salaam. Young Africans (Yanga) received a ruling regarding the non-recognition of the club's Board of Trustees following a judgment delivered on August 2, 2023, by the Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court.

The judgment, a copy of which The Citizen has obtained, stems from a primary case filed on August 4, 2022 by plaintiffs Juma Ally and Geoffrey Mwapopo.

They sought the non-recognition of Yanga's Board of Trustees, which was established under the 2010 constitution, citing legal deficiencies.

Additionally, the plaintiffs demanded that all financial transactions approved by this board be deemed legally invalid. The judgment has ordered the board that was in office under the 1968 constitution, which was amended in 2011, to return to lead Yanga club.

As per the ruling, Yanga’s current leaders, under president Hersi Saidi, are to be replaced.

The court also declared that the Board of Trustees of Young Africans Sports Club, which is currently in force under the 2010 constitution, lacks the legal capacity to manage and administer the club's affairs.

Consequently, all subsequent activities and transactions effected by the members of the club under the 2010 Board of Trustees are considered null and void.

The court has also ordered the Board of Trustees of Yanga, under the 1968 constitution as amended in 2011, to resume their responsibilities of managing and administering the club's affairs.

Additionally, the court has declared that the Board of Trustees under the 1968 constitution as amended in 2011 should organize, convene, and facilitate a meeting of the club's members for the purpose of electing new members of the Board of Trustees.

Earlier, it was reported that the plaintiffs returned to court to enforce the judgment to remove the current Board of Trustees, which is when the current Yanga management was notified.

The disputed board is led by Chairman George Mkuchika, with members Mama Fatma Karume, Mwigulu Nchemba, Tarimba Abbas, and Antony Mavunde.

Although top Yanga officials were unavailable to clarify the judgment, Yanga's Legal Director, Advocate Simon Patrick, confirmed that the club has received the information.

Simon said that the club leadership is following up on the judgment and that since the case was filed, the club had no knowledge of it until now when they received a court summons.

"It is true there is such a judgment, but I must say that from the filing of the case, Yanga had no information, and even when the judgment was made, we were unaware," said Patrick.

"We have even made efforts to find out if these plaintiffs are members of our club, but we do not see their information on the list of our legitimate club members," he added.

"If we had known, we would have taken steps to defend the club, but now we are making efforts to understand the details, and if possible, since the plaintiffs have returned to court to enforce the judgment, we will look into the possibility of appealing as the club was unaware and has the right to be heard."