Kilimanjaro region risks losing out an offer to lay artificial turf at its ground as stakeholders are embroiled in difference of opinion about matters relating to stadia involved.
While the offer from the world football governing body, FIFA, through Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) is for the turf to be laid at King George’s Memorial Stadium, Moshi Municipal councillors have decided the same should be laid at Majengo Stadium in the same municipality.
King George’s Memorial Stadium is being used as a second-hand cloth market, accommodating traders who were forced out of the defunct Kiboriloni market.
Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner (RC), Leonidas Gama had since ordered Moshi Municipal Council (MMC) to find the traders another area or see the possibility of the ground accommodating both – sports activities and traders.
However, in a strange turn of events on Thursday, the councillors unanimously decided that turf should be laid at Majengo Stadium while traders should continue with their activities at King George’s Memorial Stadium until when an investor is found to refurbish it in accordance to its architectural drawings.
MMC Mayor, Japhary Michael said the stadium does not just need the turf but rather a huge investment so it is not advisable to go by the offer while there are other stadia in need of the same.
The council has forged a three-year programme to renovate Majengo Stadium and the mayor hopes artificial turf will be laid there.
However, MMC Executive Director, Shaaban Ntarambe said the Majengo Ground does not qualify to be laid with artificial turf as it does not meet the required criteria.
He said that is why RC Gama had to discuss with traders at King George’s so as to partition the field to accommodate both.
There has been a tug of war between councillors on one side and MMC executives and regional authorities on the other about how best to go about the matter.
The Deputy Minister for Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, Juma Nkamia, in March this year gave a two month ultimatum for MMC to act; otherwise he would consult with TFF so that the turf is shifted to another region.
Nkamia said everything was in place to make the ground a modern stadium and that if his directive is not implemented within two months the artificial turf would be shifted to another ground.
He advised the municipal authorities to warn traders against establishing permanent business places in the area, otherwise he would consult with the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) to move the investment to another region.
By DEUS NGOWI, Tanzania Daily News