Tanzania Bao Game Federation (SHIMBATA) will host a special tournament this month, as part of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
According to a press statement issued by the federation’s official, Monday Likwepa, the competition is set to start in Dar es Salaam on Saturday and reach its climax on April 26, this year.
Likwepa reminded all clubs that had shown interest and picked players’ registration forms to fill them and submit to the federation by tomorrow.
He said the competition will be officially graced by national leaders on April 13. About 22 clubs from all the three municipalities of Dar es Salaam have picked registration forms.
He named teams from Temeke municipality as Mteya (Yombo Dovya), Kizinga (Kongowe), Mlaponi (Maji Matitu), Mnarani Kungugi (Namanga), Makangarawe, Kaburi Moja, Nyayo, Kilamba International Kibungwa.
Those from Kinondoni are Uyagauyaga and Kopa (Mwananyamala), Sisi kwa sisi (Manzese), Vinyago (Mwenge), Riverside (Ubungo) and Kinondoni Bao Club (Mahakamani).
Whereas from Ilala are Magereza Ukonga, Ngome (TW), FFU (Ukonga), Relini (Buguruni) and Tancot House RD.
He said the overall winner will take home 500,000/-, while 300,000/ and 200,000/- will go to the second and third placed teams respectively.
The game of ‘bao’, which is equivalent to chess, is among famous traditional sports in the country, which have continued to bind the people of the Mainland and Zanzibar.
Tanzania’s founding fathers, Zanzibar’s First President, the late Abeid Amaan Karume and the country’s First President, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, were regularly involved in playing ‘bao’.
Source Tanzania Daily News