SIMBA Vice-Chairman, Geoffrey Nyange 'Kaburu' failed to beat yesterday's deadline to submit his nomination form in the race for the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) elections set for next month.

Nyange picked the form eying for the Executive Committee membership post representing Morogoro and Coast regions.

Another candidate who picked the nomination form but failed to beat the deadline is Shufaa Jumanne. She was eying the post of executive committee member representing Dar es Salaam zone. TFF Information Officer, Boniface Wambura said yesterday that at least 52 aspirants vying for various positions at February 24 elections collected the forms and 50 out of them managed to beat the deadline to submit them back.

Wambura said yesterday that those who picked nomination forms yesterday are Richard Rukambura eying for president position. He has joined the battle for the post which has also attracted Jamal Malinzi, Athumani Nyamlani and Omari Nkwarulo. Those seeking to be elected as Vice-President include Michael Wambura, Ramadhan Nassib and Wallace Karia.

As for Executive Committee members and their respective zones in brackets are Salum Chama and Kaliro Samson (Kagera, Geita), Jumbe Magati, Mugisha Galibona, Richard Rukambura, Samuel Nyalla, Titus Osoro and Vedastus Lufano (Mara and Mwanza).

Others are Epaphra Swai and Mbasha Matutu (Shinyanga and Simiyu), Charles Mugondo, Elly Mbise as well as Omari Walii (Arusha and Manyara), Ahmed Mgoyi and Yusuph Kitumbo (Kigoma and Tabora), Ayubu Nyaulingo, Blassy Kiondo, Nazarius Kilungeja and Selemani Kameya (Katavi, Rukwa) while James Mhagama and Stanley Lugenge (Njombe, Ruvuma).

The list also has Athuman Kambi, Francis Ndulane and Zafarani Damoder for Lindi and Mtwara zone, Hussein Mwamba and Stewart Masima (Dodoma, Singida), Farid Nahdi, Geofrey Nyange, Hassan Othman Hassanoo, Riziki Majara and Twahili Njoki (Morogoro and Coast), Elias Mwanjala, Eliud Mvella and John Kiteve (Iringa, Mbeya), Khalid Mohamed (Kilimanjaro and Tanga) and Muhsin Balhabou, Omari Abdulkadir and Shaffih Dauda (Dar es Salaam).

The Tanzania Premier League Board (TPL Board) has enrolled two candidates for the Chairmanship post --Yanga's Yusuf Manji and Kagera Sugar boss Hamad Yahya. Azam's Said Mohamed is contesting for Vice-Chairman of the TBL Board, while the members to the board entrants are Moro United's Christopher Peter, Pamba's Kazimoto Miraji Muzo and Omari Khatibu Mwindadi.

According to the TFF Election Committee, applicants for president and vice-president posts should be Tanzanians, holder of a bachelor's degree and not aged less than 25 years and neither should they be over 75 years of age.

The incumbent President, Leodegar Tenga, who has been at the helm of TFF for over eight years now, debunked the belief held by some soccer fans that he wants to serve for another term, saying he would not seek re-election on February 24 in the city.

Tenga said he is satisfied with what he has done for the TFF in the past eight years. He has no hard feeling for anything since he has taken it to a level where he wanted it to be. "When I was elected TFF president in 2004, my major task was to restore the federation's credibility and transform it into an institution. I am happy that I have achieved the mission," he said.