TZW
The Minister of State in President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Governments (TAMISEMI), Selemani Jafo who graced the launch, commended the beverage company’s commitment to develop sports at the national level.
Jafo said Coca-Cola’s sponsorship has played a vital role in discovering football and basketball talents in secondary schools; hence their continuous support would further grow the sector and produce future athletes. “I am aware that Coca- Cola’s sponsorship for Umisseta ends this year, but I would like to request them to consider extending it for more years…
Umisseta sports are very crucial to nurturing talents of athletes who later on turn into professional athletes representing the country,” said the minister, noting that even football players playing for the country’s oldest teams, Simba and Young Africans were discovered in Umisseta games.
Jafo further urged other companies in the country to borrow a leaf from Coca-Cola by investing in sports from the grassroots level, emphasising that it is high time that stakeholders considered sports an income generation sector for nation and start investing.
The minister further advised that for the coming years, the launch of Umisseta games at the national level should be held in Dodoma instead of Mwanza, saying this will be in line with President John Magufuli’s directive of moving central government’s activities to the capital city.
This is the third year in a row that Coca-Cola is sponsoring Umisseta sports competitions which are geared to discover and nurture sports talents amongst secondary school students in the country.
“Through this sponsorship Coca-Cola is committed to support teams participating in these competitions by providing jerseys to all teams from regional to national level, train coaches and give prizes to winning teams, among other things” said Sialouise Shayo, Coca- Cola Tanzania Brand Manager.
“We are proud of being sponsors of Umisseta for three years in a row, and we are adamant that through these competitions, many talents will be discovered and through this we are slowly but surely improving the sports sector in the country,” she added.
Shayo noted that apart from Dodoma, this time around, at the regional level Umisseta games launches will take place in Bukoba, Tanga, Mtwara, Singida and Zanzibar with the national launch expected to take place in Mwanza later this year.
The launch event held at Jamhuri Stadium over the weekend, drew in government dignitaries, including the Acting Dodoma Regional Commissioner, Deogratius Ndejembi, Chief Secretary for Tanzania Sports Council (BMT), Mohamed Kiganja, officials from Dodoma region and representative from TAMISEMI Also, in attendance were thousands of secondary school students from across Dodoma region, teachers and sports officials.
During the event, the minister handed over footballs and jerseys to secondary schools that were in attendance. The sports kits which were provided by Coca-Cola will be distributed to 4,000 secondary schools across the country.