Tanzania High Court steps back from Kariakoo derby legal battle

The decision was taken after Simba complained about being denied a final training session at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

That decision angered Yanga, who has since refused to accept the rescheduled date.

Today, the High Court’s Sub-Registry in Dar es Salaam withdrew itself from the case filed by a Yanga member seeking to block the rescheduled match. The court ruled that it lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter.

The case was brought by Dr Samweli Marwa Chacha, a Yanga member from Iringa, against the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) and the TPLB.

He had petitioned the court to cancel the new fixture and award Yanga three points by default.

However, TFF and TPLB, through their legal representative Rahim Shaban, filed a preliminary objection arguing that the court had no legal authority to adjudicate on internal football disputes.

In her ruling, Judge Elizabeth Mkwizu upheld the objection, stating that the TFF and Yanga constitutions prohibit members from taking football-related grievances to civil courts.

She said such matters must be resolved internally through established TFF dispute resolution mechanisms or the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

“In light of these arguments, this court lacks jurisdiction to hear this matter. The case is therefore dismissed,” ruled Judge Mkwizu.

Yanga maintains boycott stance

The ruling comes just two days after a meeting of Yanga members in Dar es Salaam reaffirmed their firm decision to boycott the rescheduled match unless what they termed “critical issues” were addressed.

During the meeting—held at the club’s headquarters in Jangwani and attended by branch representatives and members of the Elders’ Council—members declared “WE WILL NOT PLAY” and warned club leaders that anyone defying that directive would be expected to step down.

Speaking after the meeting, the chairman of Yanga’s Elders’ Council, Mr Mohammed Msumi, said that as of the date set for the match (June 15), neither TFF nor TPLB had provided a convincing justification for the initial postponement.

Yanga’s branch coordinator, Mr Shaaban Mgonja, said the resolution was final and that the match would not be played under the current circumstances.

“Any official who goes against this position will be deemed to have disqualified himself from serving the club,” he said.

According to league regulations, a team that fails to honour a scheduled fixture forfeits the match by a 3-0 scoreline and is docked an additional 15 points.

However, Yanga maintains that it is ready to face the consequences, arguing that the TPLB failed to uphold the rules when the original match was postponed in March.

A derby under tension

Should the match proceed as rescheduled, it would mark the 114th league meeting between Tanzania’s most decorated clubs since 1965—and the second clash between them this season.

In their first meeting of the season, Yanga emerged victorious with a 1-0 win, secured by an 86th-minute own goal from Simba defender Kelvin Kijiri, who inadvertently turned in a cross from winger Maxi Nzengeli.

As tensions mount ahead of June 15, football authorities now face a delicate balancing act.

On one hand, they must enforce league regulations to maintain order and credibility.

On the other hand, they must contend with growing dissent within one of the country's most influential football institutions.

The court’s dismissal of the case removes a legal roadblock to the fixture, but the deeper issues surrounding the derby—fairness, transparency, and football governance—remain unresolved.

Whether Yanga will indeed boycott the match remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the standoff has added another layer of drama to what is already the most fiercely contested rivalry in Tanzanian football.