I argued that the Social Security Fund’s decision to embark on such an important and historic social-cum-business project would sooner than later help Tanzania in ridding itself of its continued failure to join international soccer elites.
Tanzania’s failure to do well in international soccer tournaments was best described by none other than the second phase President, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, when he likened it to a head of mad man who those wishing to become barbers practiced with in order to perfect their trade!
After President Mwinyi had made the cutting comment, it was the hope of many Tanzanians that those responsible for soccer development in the country would treat the president’s remarks as a catalyst for ridding the nation of the embarrassment.
But they were terribly wrong because they were not moved an inch by the president’s remarks! To the contrary, they continued to treat soccer nothing more than business as usual and the result is that Tanzania has continued to serve as a ladder for other countries, including its neighbours, when it comes to qualifications for regional and international soccer tournaments.
However, after what the NSSF have done, perhaps it’s an opportune time to appeal to two institutions to join the social security fund in its present endeavour to develop, from grass-root level, the beautiful game.
The two institutions are represented by schools (public and privately owned) and businessmen and women, especially those who are already in school business.
It would be recalled that over three decades ago when Tanzania used to do well in sports, public and private owned schools were in the forefront of sports development.
Through district, regional and national sports championships, Tanzania was able to produce a number of sports champions and personalities.
In the realm of athletics we had Filbert Bayi, Suleiman Nyambui, Col. (rtd) Juma Ikangaa, Gidamas Shahanga, Claver Kamanya; in boxing we had Titus Simba, Habib Kinyogoli and in football we had soccer legends such as the Manara brothers, Sunday and Kitwana, Leodegar Tenga, the Zimbwe brothers, Omar and Mweri, Athumani Mambosasa, Mahadhi, Abdallah Luo, Mbwana Abushiri just to mention a few.
However, the collapse later of the country’s education would not spare sports development which has since then failed to recover.
One way public and privately owned schools could contribute to what the NSSF has embarked on is to ensure construction of not only laboratories, but also sports fields for basketball, soccer, netball, volleyball, hockey etc.
The construction of the foregoing infrastructure within the schools would make it easier in influencing children into taking part in various sports disciplines.
In fact, Tanzania does not need to look far for examples of what construction of sports infrastructures can do to a country. For instance, Kenya is a sports power house in its own right because they have all kind of sports infrastructure from urban to the rural areas.
Kenya and Ethiopia are famed in the world for having established cross-country infrastructure in their respective highlands which have become a training ground for athletes from all over the world. This could be emulated by Tanzania because it has terrain similar to what both Kenya and Ethiopia have.
Therefore Kenya and Ethiopian dominance in sports in the world can be explained by the two countries’ possession of such infrastructure.
It’s sickening to note that Tanzania does not have more than two rugby fields and these includes, a make-shift one at the Gymkhana Grounds in Dar es Salaam and the other one is located in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region.
And Tanzanians owe the two fields courtesy of a thriving community of South African businessmen who chose the country as their second home away from home.
While the South Africans, some of whom have already taken up Tanzanian citizenship have played an important role in the development of rugby in the country, the Gymkhana Grounds is however, presently under threat from developers who have nothing going on in their but the erection of those ugly concrete buildings.
The second step that needs to be taken by those running public and private schools is the provision of sports instructors who can guide children in learning different sports disciplines.
During the first phase government, Tanzania had many sports instructors most of whom had acquired their trade in eastern European countries.
Such sports instructors had included, among others, Syllersaid Mziray, Paul West Gwivaha, Gama etc. International sports institutions where the foregoing sports instructors went to are still in existence, hence the need on the part of the Ministry of Education to send young men and women to such institutions.
The other group that can emulate the NSSF in doing what the social security fund has done is that which constitute businessmen and women.
The foregoing group need to start looking at establishment of soccer and other sports academies in the same way they view other businesses. Establishment of soccer academies as business entities would greatly help in serving as a safety valve against what some politicians have described as a timebomb presented by the growing army jobless youth.
As I have repeatedly said in the past, establishment of soccer academy helps whoever is behind the project in killing two birds with one stone.
One, through the spreading of academic education and secondly, through the production of future soccer stars who could be sold abroad and help earn both individuals and the nation at large substantial foreign exchange.
Attilio Tagalile is an author and Media Consultant based in Dar es Salaam can be reached through a t a g a l i l e @ h o t m a i l . com 0754279655
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