Simba of Tanzania pull out of Kagame Cup because of poor security in Darfur
Simba Sports Club have pulled out of the East and Central Africa Club Championship, Kagame Cup, set to kick off June 18 in Sudan. The club vice chairman Joseph Itangale ‘Mzee Kinesi’ said yesterday that they decided to pull out of the regional championship because of the poor security in the Darfur Province in Sudan. “We have been informed that at the moment there is no peace and proper security in Darfur, so we can not send our players over there,” Itangale said. He said despite the fact that the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) assured them on security, they will not send their players. “Personally, I have talked to Lieutenant General Paul Mella who is new commander of the joint peace keeping force of the United Nations and the African Union (UNAMID) in Darfur Province and he has told me that there is no peace at all,” the club official asserted. He said that in two days to come they will inform the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) about their pull out. “We would like to send our team but the situation does not allow us to do so,” he maintained. Late last week, the government said that it was uncertain of security in the Darfur Province. Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister Bernard Membe made the remark when answering a question in Parliament as he presented ministerial estimates for 2013/2014.Membe said that the ministry awaits clear information on the security situation in Darfur, expressing doubts as to the quality of accommodation in the war-torn city.He said that people who visit the town often wear bullet proof vests, which is discouraging in relation to assurance of players’ safety, clearly expressing displeasure that leading clubs will be sent there to participate in the Kagame Cup tourney.Membe said that the government was disappointed to seen Cecafa taking the tournament in a place where there is no security assurance. Tanzanian teams expected to feature in the tournament are the tournament’s defending champions Yanga, the now withdrawing Simba and Isles champs Falcon.Yanga were placed in Group C together with Express (Uganda), Ports (Djibouti) and Vital’O (Burundi).Simba were in Group A together with El-Merreikh (Sudan), APR (Rwanda) and Elman (Somalia).Group B had Al-Hillal (Sudan), Tusker FC (Kenya), Al Nasri (South Sudan), Falcon (Zanzibar) and Al Shandy (Sudan). File photo by Oliver Chassot/Unamid Source: Guardian, 9 June 2013
Simba Sports Club have pulled out of the East and Central Africa Club Championship, Kagame Cup, set to kick off June 18 in Sudan.
The club vice chairman Joseph Itangale ‘Mzee Kinesi’ said yesterday that they decided to pull out of the regional championship because of the poor security in the Darfur Province in Sudan.
“We have been informed that at the moment there is no peace and proper security in Darfur, so we can not send our players over there,” Itangale said.
He said despite the fact that the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) assured them on security, they will not send their players.
“Personally, I have talked to Lieutenant General Paul Mella who is new commander of the joint peace keeping force of the United Nations and the African Union (UNAMID) in Darfur Province and he has told me that there is no peace at all,” the club official asserted.
He said that in two days to come they will inform the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) about their pull out. “We would like to send our team but the situation does not allow us to do so,” he maintained.
Late last week, the government said that it was uncertain of security in the Darfur Province.
Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister Bernard Membe made the remark when answering a question in Parliament as he presented ministerial estimates for 2013/2014.
Membe said that the ministry awaits clear information on the security situation in Darfur, expressing doubts as to the quality of accommodation in the war-torn city.
He said that people who visit the town often wear bullet proof vests, which is discouraging in relation to assurance of players’ safety, clearly expressing displeasure that leading clubs will be sent there to participate in the Kagame Cup tourney.
Membe said that the government was disappointed to seen Cecafa taking the tournament in a place where there is no security assurance. Tanzanian teams expected to feature in the tournament are the tournament’s defending champions Yanga, the now withdrawing Simba and Isles champs Falcon.
Yanga were placed in Group C together with Express (Uganda), Ports (Djibouti) and Vital’O (Burundi).
Simba were in Group A together with El-Merreikh (Sudan), APR (Rwanda) and Elman (Somalia).
Group B had Al-Hillal (Sudan), Tusker FC (Kenya), Al Nasri (South Sudan), Falcon (Zanzibar) and Al Shandy (Sudan).
File photo by Oliver Chassot/Unamid
Source: Guardian, 9 June 2013
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