Government commends military athletes for excellence in sports
DODOMA: THE Government of Tanzania has extended heartfelt congratulations to military athletes for their remarkable accomplishments in both national and international sports arenas.
Among those honoured was Major Mohamed Kasui, who made history by being elected President of the Technical Committee for Basketball under the International Military Sports Council (CISM), becoming the first African to hold the position since the council’s inception in 1948.
Delivering the announcement on behalf of the government, Minister for Defence and National Service, Stergomena Tax, commended the athletes yesterday in Dodoma during the presentation of the Ministry’s 2025/2026 budget estimates before Parliament.
Tax proudly highlighted the defense sector’s active participation in numerous sports activities throughout the 2024/2025 financial year. These included high-profile national competitions such as SHIMIWI (September– October 2024), the May Day Games (April–May 2025) and SHIMMUTA, the inter- organisational sports games involving public institutions, state agencies and private companies (November 2024).
“I would like to especially applaud Mzinga Corporation for securing second place overall across multiple sports categories,” Dr Tax stated. “I equally extend my gratitude to the leadership of the Ministry and all the dedicated athletes who contributed to this tremendous achievement.”
She further emphasised that through the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces (TPDF) and National Service (JKT), Tanzania’s military continued to fly the national flag high in both local and international competitions—bringing home medals, honour and recognition.
Among the celebrated athletes were Sergeant Alphonce Simbu, winner of the Silver Medal at the globally renowned Boston Marathon, Corporal Magdalena Shauri, who clinched Gold at the African Military Games.
Others are Private Joseph Panga, who earned a Silver Medal in the Half Marathon Cross-Country Championships, Private King Mwajobaga, crowned champion in Professional Bantamweight Boxing and Private Yusuph Changalawe, who represented Tanzania at the Olympic Games and triumphed in the African Military Games.
In team sports, the formidable JKT Queens were recognised for their stellar performance, capturing the championship title in the CECAFA regional tournament, which features elite teams from across East and Central Africa.
Dr Tax also acknowledged the recent appointment of Brigadier General Hassan Mabena as a member of the Organising Committee for the 2027 AFCON Tournament, which Tanzania is proudly set to host.
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“These achievements are a testament to the discipline, dedication and excellence of our military personnel—not only in their service to the nation but also in their contribution to Tanzania’s growing reputation in international sports,” she concluded.
