Simba Sports Club's 90-year history has been a journey of many chapters, evolving from a supporters' and members' club into one of the biggest sporting institutions in East Africa.
During the club's anniversary celebrations, one name has continued to stand out as a key figure in that transformation: Mohamed Dewji "Mo," the Tanzanian billionaire and honorary president of Simba SC.
For Mo Dewji, Simba is not just a football club but a part of his life, family, and personal history. He says that passion has been the foundation of the major investments he has directed toward making Simba capable of competing with Africa's football giants.
From Childhood Supporter to Investment Vision
Mo Dewji says his love for Simba began during his childhood in Singida, where he grew up in a family with a strong connection to the club.
"Since I was born in Singida, my father and my entire family have loved Simba. From a young age, I also loved Simba and followed the club. At that time there was no television, so we followed Simba through radio broadcasts, and later, when I had the opportunity, I started attending their matches," Mo said.
That was the beginning of a long relationship that would later become part of major changes within the club.
A New Vision Born from African Football Challenges
Mo Dewji explains that between 1999 and 2001 he became increasingly involved with Simba, its leaders, and players. This experience helped him recognize the need to transform the club from a traditional members' structure into a professionally managed institution driven by investment and ambitious goals.
"I was mainly driven by my love for the club. If you look at my history from 1999 to 2001, I was very close to Simba, its leaders, and its players. That is why I valued the club and wanted Simba to have the ambition of becoming the best club in Africa," he said.
Mo identifies Simba's match against Egyptian giants Zamalek in 2001 as one of the moments that opened his eyes to the major financial gap between African clubs.
After Simba eliminated Zamalek from the competition, Mo had an opportunity to learn from the Egyptian club's officials about their management system and financial strength.
He realized that for Simba to compete with Africa's biggest teams, a change in the club's operating model was necessary.
The Investment Revolution at Simba
Mo Dewji believes the success Simba has achieved in recent years has been driven by stronger investment, professional management, and the creation of a competitive environment.
"Today we are among the top five to ten clubs in Africa. A lot of work has been done over the past eight to ten years, but my target is to win an African title," he said.
During this period, Simba have enjoyed major domestic success and have regularly competed at advanced stages of CAF competitions.
Under these changes, the club has managed to:
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Reach the CAF competition quarter-finals on several occasions.
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Reach the final of the CAF Confederation Cup.
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Strengthen its position on the African football map.
The Biggest Dream Remains Unfulfilled
Despite these achievements, Mo Dewji believes the journey is far from over. His biggest ambition is to see Simba win a continental title one day.
He believes achieving that goal requires continued improvement of the club's systems, increased investment, better infrastructure, and long-term planning.
Across its 90-year history, Simba has experienced different periods of success and challenges. However, the investment era under Mo Dewji has given the club a new identity: a Simba with bigger ambitions of moving beyond Tanzania and becoming a dominant force in African football.
