Dar es Salaam. Simba SC striker Seleman Mwalimu has been suspended for three matches and fined Sh1 million by the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) following disciplinary incidents recorded in recent NBC Premier League matches.
The Simba forward was punished after he was found guilty of deliberately kicking Dodoma Jiji player Andy Lobulka Bikoko during a league match between Simba and Dodoma Jiji FC while play was still in progress.
TPLB said the incident amounted to violent conduct and violated the league’s disciplinary regulations governing player behaviour. The board ruled that the act contravened the principles of fair play, warranting both a suspension and a financial penalty.
Mwalimu’s sanction forms part of a broader set of disciplinary measures issued by the league body after reviewing several incidents that occurred in different matches, including the high profile Kariakoo derby played in Zanzibar between Young Africans SC and Simba.
The board also sanctioned match officials after assessing their decisions in the affected games.
Centre referee Abdallah Mwinvinkuu from Singida has been demoted in ranking after TPLB concluded that he misinterpreted the Laws of the Game during the match between Namungo FC and Young Africans.
The referee was faulted for failing to take disciplinary action in an incident in which Namungo player Abdulkarim Kiswanya appeared to elbow Yanga defender Mohamed Damaro inside the penalty area. According to the board, the decision not to sanction the incident reflected a poor interpretation of football laws.
TPLB noted that the official had previously faced punishment in December 2025 when he was removed from officiating league matches for five rounds following similar mistakes.
In a separate ruling, reserve referee Charles Simon has been suspended for three months after he was found to have misapplied the rules governing substitutions during the match between Dodoma Jiji and Simba.
Investigations established that Dodoma Jiji made four substitutions instead of the permitted three substitution windows allowed under league regulations. The board concluded that the match official failed to enforce the rule properly, leading to disciplinary action.
The disciplinary measures also extended to the country’s traditional football rivals Simba and Young Africans over incidents linked to the Kariakoo derby staged at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
Simba were fined Sh5 million after the team entered the stadium through an unofficial entrance before the derby, contrary to match organisation regulations.
The Msimbazi Street side was also fined another Sh5 million for failing to use the official dressing room allocated for the visiting team at the stadium. Instead, the club used the press conference room before the start of the match.
Simba were further penalised after their supporters threw a water bottle at Dodoma Jiji player William Edgar while he was leaving the field of play during another league match. TPLB ruled that the club bears responsibility for the conduct of its supporters and imposed an additional Sh5 million fine.
Young Africans were also fined Sh5 million after their security personnel were involved in confrontations with Simba officials during the derby.
According to TPLB, the altercation created unnecessary tension and risked damaging the image of the match and the league, prompting the disciplinary action.
Elsewhere, Dodoma Jiji were fined Sh5 million after their team manager failed to wear official attire during a match, contrary to league regulations.
The club was also punished for making four substitutions instead of the permitted three substitution windows during their match against Simba.
Meanwhile, Dodoma Jiji player Andy Lobulka Bikoko together with TRA United players Muhsin Malima Makame and Mzamiru Yassin Said were each fined Sh500,000 for deliberately delaying their entry onto the pitch before kickoff in one of the matches.
TPLB said the sanctions were approved during a meeting of its management and administration committee held on March 4, 2026.
The board emphasised that the disciplinary measures are aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the NBC Premier League and ensuring that clubs, players and match officials adhere strictly to competition regulations.
