At a time when Tanzanian football is facing significant tension between Yanga SC and the football governing bodies, Simba SC spokesperson Ahmed Ally has issued a statement with a contrasting perspective, attempting to raise questions about the nature and intent of Yanga's demands.
Through a message posted on his social media page, Ahmed presented several arguments concerning what he sees as a political agenda within sports, aimed at undermining the governance structures of football in the country.
1. Questioning the Foundation of the Demands: Reform or Control of the System?
Ahmed questions the logic behind Yanga’s demand for the resignation of the TFF Secretary-General and the CEO of TPLB. According to him, this is not merely a call for accountability, but rather an attempt to install a leadership team that would be ideologically and operationally aligned with Yanga, thus enabling the club to unfairly influence football governance.
He emphasizes that if such demands are accepted without solid legal or performance-based grounds, it could open the door for any club to call for leadership changes based on emotions—threatening the stability of the institutions managing football in Tanzania.
2. The 72-Hour Committee and Allegations of Bias
One of Yanga’s key demands is the disbandment of the 72-Hour Operational Committee. Ahmed opposes this idea, stating that the goal is not genuine reform but rather the creation of a decision-making body that would favor one side and overlook rule violations, including pitch invasions and unauthorized use of field areas.
From his perspective, the call to dismantle this committee reflects an intent to remove independent disciplinary oversight and replace it with a system driven by the political influence of a single club, rather than grounded in regulatory fairness.
3. The Risk of Creating a Climate of Fear
Ahmed also warns that if officials from institutions like TFF and TPLB begin resigning under pressure from one club, it will create a leadership culture of fear, where decisions are no longer based on rules and regulations but on which club shouts the loudest. He explains that this scenario could lead to officials making decisions to "please" specific clubs instead of protecting the broader interests of football.
4. The League Board: An Institution for All Clubs
Ahmed stresses that the League Board is an institution representing all clubs, not just one. He cautions that allowing one club to push for major changes without the consensus of all stakeholders amounts to placing the power of the majority into the hands of a few, which is dangerous for the league’s progress.
He concluded by saying Simba is ready to collaborate with all stakeholders to resist what he calls “governance thuggery” and to ensure that the core matters of football development are not turned into tools for political pressure.
