Dar es Salaam. Young Africans (Yanga SC) president Eng. Hersi Said and vice-president Arafat Ally Haji are on course to retain their positions after emerging as the sole candidates for the club's top leadership posts in the 2026 general election.
The election committee has released the list of aspirants who collected and returned nomination forms, showing that Hersi is the only candidate seeking the presidency, while Arafat is unopposed in the race for vice-president. With no challengers for the two top positions, the pair are widely expected to secure another four-year mandate when club members vote on August 2.
The list also features 16 candidates vying for committee membership. They are Julius John Koyi, Saady Mohammed Khimji, Fredy Stanley Mahembe, Munir Said Seleman, Mshindo Hamza Msolla, Issa Ally Mangungu, Mustapha Salumu Himba, Alexander Francis Ngai, Gerald John Kihinga, Yanga Evarist Makaga, Fahd Ahmed Afif, Rodgers Hemedi Gumbo, Seif Khamis Gulumali, Mohamed Ally Mwenda, Mzee Yussuf Mwinyi and Prisca Josephate Kishamba.
Hersi and Arafat have overseen one of the club's most successful periods since taking office in 2022, with Yanga winning multiple domestic league titles, Federation Cup crowns and establishing themselves among Africa's leading clubs through consistent CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup campaigns. Under their leadership, the club has also strengthened its commercial partnerships and expanded its international profile. ([Wikipedia][1])
According to the election timetable released by the Yanga Election Committee, the nomination process closed on June 29, while preliminary scrutiny of candidates was conducted between June 30 and July 1.
The provisional list of qualified candidates was published on July 2 before a three-day period for objections and appeals from July 3 to July 5. Verification of objections follows between July 6 and July 8, with the final list of approved candidates scheduled to be published on July 9 and 10.
Any disciplinary matters will be handled by the club's Ethics Committee between July 11 and July 13, while appeals to the TFF Election Appeals Committee are set for July 14 to July 16. Appeals will then be heard from July 17 to July 21, followed by the announcement of final candidates on July 24.
Official campaigning will run from July 25 to August 1 before Yanga members head to the polls on August 2, when the club will elect its president, vice-president and executive committee members for the next term.
The absence of challengers for the presidency and vice-presidency means Hersi and Arafat are poised to continue leading the Jangwani Street giants into another chapter.
