Sponsor improves league package

Simba Sports Club`s secretary general Mwina Kaduguda (L) receives sports outfit from the deputy minister for information, culture and sports Joel Bendera in Dar es Salaam yesterday. The kits were donated by Mainland premier league sponsors, Vodacom.

Mainland premier soccer league sponsors Vodacom Tanzania has improved it’s sponsorship package from 880m/= to 1.1billion shillings, the firm’s official George Rwehumbiza declared in Dar es Salaam, yesterday.

Rwehumbiza announced the package increment during a brief function to distribute sports kits to all premier league teams.

The rise in the package has been attributed by proportional increase in expenditures to run the league that is being played in home and away pattern for twelve top flight sides.

Besides kits, other expenditures earmarked for the league include allowances for referees, match commissioners, traveling of teams from one centre to another and general administrative functions of the football federation.

“We are doing all these with an objective of promoting soccer in the country as well as individual playing talents”, said Rhwehumbiza.

Vodacom would work hand-in-glove cooperation with TFF to raise the standard and quality of the league, so says Rwehumbiza.

The firm’s marketing manager Efraim Mafuru urged other corporate sponsors to join the fray in improvement of the league through additional sponsorship.

He said the league needs more resources and Vodacom is not capable of footing the entire range of expenses. Each of the team participating in the league has been supplied with two pairs of jerseys, playing shoes, and balls.

The representative of premier league clubs Charles Mbuge insisted on topping up the money to be used by the clubs especially to meet the ever increasing traveling expenditures.

Mbuge said almost 5m/= is used to meet traveling expenditures to honour matches at Kagera centres for the coastal based top flight sides.

He said teams have pledged to maintain good discipline during the league matches, players and officials alike.

The question of discipline has also been emphasized by the deputy minister for information, culture and sports, Joel Bendera who was the chief guest during the kits presentation function.

Bendera said by staging a competitive league will also be of beneficial to the upgrading of the national soccer team’s standard. “Where there is a good and high quality league, certainly the success will be reflected in the national team as well”, said Bendera.

TFF secretary general Fredrick Mwakelebela said all preparations for the league are complete and a seminar for the referees has been conducted ahead of the kick-off on August 23.