Winners of the Standard Chartered Trophy 2015, dubbed Road to Anfield, Mwananchi Communications will be in Kenya this weekend for the regional tournament.
The team, which is under captain Omari Majuto, was bid farewell in Dar es Salaam. Standard Chartered Bank Chief Executive Officer Liz Lloyd said Mwananchi Communications won the ticket to Kenya after beating Channel Ten in the final match last Saturday.
“This is a very big opportunity for them to play on an English Premier League pitch at Anfield, the home ground of Liverpool Club, if they emerge winners in the regional tournament,” she said.
She said the winning team will also be treated to a threeday itinerary in the United Kingdom, which includes a training session at the academy by Liverpool’s legends.
“I am handing out air tickets and confirmed hotel reservations at the Kempinski Nairobi for the East Africa Tournament in Nairobi this Saturday, whereby our team will play against the Postal Corporation of Kenya and Roofings Uganda Limited which won the respective national contests,” Lloyd said.
Other winning teams from across Standard Chartered’s global footprints such as Southern Africa, West Africa, South Africa, Asia, Greater China and North East Asia will also be at Anfield to compete for the ultimate trophy on May 7 or 8 this year.
National Sports Council (NSC) Chairman Dioniz Malinzi commended the bank for coming up with the great idea of bringing people together locally and internationally.
“This is definitely a great way of contributing to the country’s economic growth and I urge other companies to emulate the bank’s great example,” he said.
Malinzi said football is one of the most popular sports in Tanzania and worldwide, and most people can speak the language of the beautiful game.
“Through sports many countries have witnessed great development in infrastructure, inter-governmental relations, tourism and many other advantageous opportunities,” he said.
Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL)) Executive Director Bakari Mwachumu extended his gratitude to the bank for having inviting them to participate in the tournament.
By MAUREEN ODUNGA, Tanzania Daily News