Stars fly home with pride
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA’S heroes -Taifa Stars, are due to arrive home today from Morocco following a memorable and successful outing at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), travelling aboard Government’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
The aircraft was availed by President Samia Suluhu Hassan earlier this week as part of the continued strong backing of the Sixth Phase Government has extended to the sports sector and, in particular, to the national team, whose AFCON campaign captured the imagination of the nation.
The special flight underlines the government’s broader commitment to sport that has included major investment in infrastructure. Among the key areas of support have been upgrades and construction works at sports venues, notably in Dodoma, Arusha and Dar es Salaam to raise standards and nurture talent across the country.
The President had also earlier on issued 500m/- as a reward for Taifa Stars for their performance at AFCON.
Taifa Stars bowed out of the tournament at the last-16 stage after a narrow 1-0 defeat to hosts Morocco. Despite the exit, reaching the knockout round marked a historic milestone, as it is the first time Tanzania has progressed to that stage of the competition, a feat widely hailed as a breakthrough moment for the national side.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Gerson Msigwa, said President Samia decided to provide the aircraft to ensure the players, technical bench and officials return home with dignity and honour befitting their achievement.
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In recognition of their efforts, the President has also organised a special luncheon on Saturday at State House, Magogoni, Dar es Salaam where Taifa Stars and other athletes who performed exceptionally across various sports will be officially acknowledged.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that departed Dar es Salaam early on Tuesday, landed in Rabat, Morocco, and was set to return to Tanzania today, touching down at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) at approximately 10.00 am.
Msigwa said the government is pleased with Taifa Stars’ performance, particularly their progress to the AFCON last 16, and singled out Head Coach Miguel Gamondi for praise, noting that his achievement should not be understated.
“The work done by Coach Gamondi is no small feat. This is remarkable and has set a new chapter in the history of Tanzanian football. We sincerely congratulate him for this milestone,” said Msigwa.
