The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Hassan Abdullah
9 May 2008
Zanzibar — Zanzibar Football Association vice-president Haji Ameir says the body will not vacate its offices located at Amaan Stadium.
Ameir was responding to a directive by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Sports that ZFA relocates its offices to pave the way for the stadium's refurbishment.
Ameir said unless the Ministry finds alternative premises for ZFA, the association would continue operating from Amaan Stadium.
Amaan Stadium has been earmarked for refurbishment by a Chinese contractor following an agreement between the Zanzibar and Chinese governments.
"We are not ready to vacate the Amaan Stadium offices unless the government provides us with new premises from where to perform our duties," said Ameir.
Ameir's argument is based on the fact that there are at least ten ZFA employees who are on the payroll of the Zanzibari government.
However, impeccable sources within the ZFA confirmed that the body is short of funds to pay rent in the event of vacating its current offices.
Relations between ZFA and the Ministry of Information, Culture and Sports have deteriorated in recent years.
ZFA has made constitutional changes that prevent direct government involvement in the running of the game.
Some of the major constitutional changes involve employment of secretary general and treasurer, who were previously government appointees.
The Zanzibar Sports Council offices are also located at Amaan Stadium. The chairperson of the council Sherry Khamis confirmed that ZSC had also been directed to vacate its offices.
Amaan Stadium, built in the early 1970s, is in poor condition and urgently needs a facelift.
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