Sports talent hunt gains momentum as UMITASHUMTA opens

IRINGA: IN a bold push to unearth the next generation of sporting stars, the government has vowed to scout raw young talent across the nation, sharpen their skills like diamonds in the rough, and catapult them onto the global stage, primed to conquer both at home and abroad.

Speaking during the Tanzania Sports and Academic Union Council (UMITASHUMTA) meeting in Iringa Region, the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training Zanzibar, Amos John, said the Government’s continued investment in sports is already yielding positive results.

“The results of this investment are clearly visible through the Serengeti Boys’ under-17 team, which participated in the 2026 AFCON Finals in Morocco. We expect to use this year’s competition to find more players who will be used in various national teams in the future,” said Amos.

Earlier, welcoming the guest of honour, the Acting Director of the Sports, Culture and Arts Coordination Unit in the Prime Minister’s Office (RALG), Yusuph Singo, said preparations for the UMITASHUMTA 2026 competitions had been successfully completed.

He noted that all participants from regions across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar had arrived and been received, ready for the start of the competition.

“The aim of the UMITASHUMTA Council is to remind each other of important issues that should be considered throughout this competition to ensure that it is held in peace, security, and great success,” said Singo.

The games, which bring together athletes from all regions of Mainland Tanzania as well as from Unguja and Pemba, are expected to be officially opened tomorrow, by the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (RALG), Professor Riziki Shemdoe.

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UMITASHUMTA and UMISSETA 2026 are being organised and coordinated by the Prime Minister’s Office (RALG) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Information, Arts, Culture and Sports themed “Sports and Arts in Schools: A Gateway to Employment, Health and International Competitiveness.”