The national women soccer team, Twiga Stars and swimming team failed to jet off to Brazzaville, Congo yesterday as planned in time for the 11th edition of the All-Africa Games scheduled to start from Monday to September 18, this year.
A source said the two teams failed to leave yesterday due to financial constraints but they are expected to depart today for Brazzaville.
“The teams were not handed their air tickets for the journey to Brazzaville by the National Sports Council (NSC), who are handling travel arrangements and other logistics,” the source said.
Twiga Stars coach Rogasian Kaijage said he knows nothing about the departure date. When the ‘Daily News’ consulted the Deputy Director of Sports in the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, Juliana Yassoda for comment, she said she was in a meeting discussing the matter.
Twiga Stars players who are expected to make the trip are: Goalkeepers: Fatuma Omary and Belina Julius. Full-backs: Anastazia Anthony, Fatma Hassan Fatuma Abushiri,Maimuna Hamis and Stumai Abdallah.
Central defenders: Fatma Khatibu, Fatma Bashir and Fatma Issa. Defensive midfielders are Sophia Mwasikili (C), Happiness Hezron, and Doniasia Daniel.
Offensive midfielders: Amina Ally and Eto Mlenzi. Wing attackers: Mwanahamis Omary and Tereza Yona. Strikers: Asha Rashid and Sherder Boniface.
The team is under Kaijage and his assistant Edna Lema. Twiga Stars, who are pooled in Group A alongside Nigeria, Ivory Coast and hosts Congo, are scheduled to kick off their campaign on Monday against Ivory Coast, before taking on Nigeria on Thursday and wind up their group assignment against the hosts on September 12.
Swimming team comprises Hemed Hillary, Shabir Ammar, Aboubakar Rashid and Issa Hamad. The boxing team was the first to leave for Brazzaville, while athletics and judo squads depart on September 11.
Meanwhile, the newly built 60,000-seater Stade de l’Unité (Unity Stadium) constructed for the African Games was yesterday expected to host its first match between Congo and Ghana.
The stadium was inaugurated by Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso. The Kintele Sports Complex will be inaugurated today with a historic game between former players of the Congo national team (early 90s until 2006) against their Italian counterparts.