Tanga — The government has once again reiterated its plans to have more ultra-modern arenas as Tanzania eyes to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in history.
Speaking while gracing the climax of CRDB Taifa Cup Basketball Championship in Tanga on Saturday night, the Minister for Culture, Arts and Sports, Mohamed Mchengerwa stressed that the government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan is determined to fast track reforms in sports so as to develop the sector to the higher levels and that can be achieved when the country owns many quality playing arenas.
"We are planning to have ultra-modern sports facilities including in Dodoma capital city as we prepare to host the major football showdown in Africa alongside with our fellow East African neighbours," he said.
" As we are moving towards that direction, Tanzania is already celebrating and feels proud of good strides that have been attained so far, remarkably in football and other international sporting events," the minister told the basketball family at Bandari court here.
He said the qualification and brave performance of Serengeti Girls in the Under-17 World Cup that posed a threat against well drilled sides in the likes of France and Canada was a clear indication that the country is moving in sports.
He also lauded the outstanding performance of Tembo Warriors in the just ended Amputee Football World Cup and also the deals of its ten players who have qualified to play as professionals in Europe among the notable examples of achievements.
Not all that alone, but the joint progression of Yanga and Simba in the group stages of CAF Club tournaments is another wake up call to add value to that achievement.
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Tanzania is expected to join forces with Uganda in a bid for hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, after conveying its desire to the heads of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the World Football Association (FIFA) during the 44th CAF General Assembly held in Arusha.
During that meeting, the two major governing bodies also announced the addition of African teams in FIFA competitions and increased funding for African countries.
Previously, it was reported that in the plan, Tanzania will have four stadiums and Uganda will have two stadiums.
In support of what has been achieved so far in basketball, the minister, during his speech thanked CRDB Bank for its continued effort to uplift the standard of sports in the country, urging the financial institution to continue supporting others to emulate the example.
The minister also hailed Tanga Regional Commissioner (RC) Omar Mgumba for the plan to build a 300- acre Sports Village, saying that is in line with Sports Policy articles number 7 and 10 that stress the need of having sports facilities in all districts.
He assured RC Mgumba of his ministry's technical support to make sure that they achieve their goal, calling all other regions to set areas of sports as it has been recently directed by the Vice-President, Philip Mpango.
Earlier, CRDB Bank Managing Director Abdulmajid Nsekela reiterated the plans of his bank to support sports, basketball in particular, saying they had invested about 360m/- for the staging of this year's Taifa Cup basketball tournament in Tanga.
