Israel Saria
For the second year running the Serengeti Breweries has extended football sponsorship of the East and Central Africa Football Association’s Senior Challenge Cup to be staged in Dar es Salaam later this month.
The firm has committed a staggering 823 million shillings to cater for the region’s most prestigious annual tournament now winding up its fourth decade since inauguration.
The sponsorship package has been increased by 148 million shillings from last year’s edition of the championship.
The brewers have started where they left last year as the CECAFA and Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) have been relieved of sponsorship burden through the Tusker brand.
The hefty sponsorship purse would cater for the entire expenses of the two week-long event.
Serengeti Breweries Corporate Relations Director Teddy Mapunda said the package is lined up to cover return air tickets for all delegates of the competing teams, CECAFA officials, referees, accommodation, internal transport during the event, logistics, prize money for the winners, runners-up and third laced teams.
The expenditures extends to football fees, security, hire of stadiums and training venues for teams, media accreditation and all other miscellaneous costs linked to the staging of the event.
The tournament kicks off on November 25 in Dar es Salaam and another venue to be selected by the organising committee.
SBL’s managing director Richard Wells handed over the dummy cheque to the CECAFA secretary general Nicholas Musonye at a brief function hosted by the New Africa Hotel in Dar es Salaam.
The director said the continued sponsorship support is in line with the firm’s objective of promoting football not only in Tanzania but also across the east African borders as well.
“We are brewing Tusker in Tanzania and the brand is also available on the markets across the Eastern Africa region. We feel proud of the sponsorship and the honur we have attained from the TFF and CECAFA football bodies,” he said.
The tournament is being staged to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Tanganyika Independence to be celebrated on December 9.
Tanganyika team or the Kilimanjaro Stars lost the opening game during the previous edition but went all the way to claim the title at the expense of invitees Cote d’Ivoire
While the SBL’s corporate communications director Mapunda called for media support during the tourney, TFF and CECAFA president Leodegar Tenga reiterated the need to fight against malaria sickness.
Mapunda also said SBL would have commercial and all branding rights throughout the duration of the championship.
SBL’s chairman Judge Mark Bomani was the guest of honour who said his firm is proud for the corporate responsibility through football sponsorship, the game whose passion is scattered in almost every house hold.
“We are not underlining boozing but rather trying to give those consumers the best quality from our variety of brands”, said Bomani.
The championship has attracted national teams from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Zanzibar, Sudan and hosts Tanzania Mainland.
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