THE newly-elected President of the Zanzibar Football Federation (ZFF) Suleiman Mahmoud Jabir said he will foster good working ties with stakeholders, including the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), during his tenure.
Jabir assumed ZFF’s high office after getting 16 votes from 31 casted votes, representing 51 per cent, while his closest contender, Kamal Abdul Haji claimed 15 votes, which is 49 per cent.
However, speaking to the ‘Daily News’ yesterday, Jabir reiterated that his colleagues at the federation aimed to build strong working relationships with stakeholders to improve efficiency.
“We need to create good working ties with all our relevant bodies at the regional and district level, including teams that trade in the Zanzibar Premier League and the Second Division League.
“Such good cooperation will attract sponsors ready to support our football’s growth just like the way PBZ and Azam do,” he said.
Again, the new ZFF boss disclosed that enhancing cooperation with TFF will be another key priority under his management, saying the two federations serve in the United Republic of Tanzania hence a strong desire for them to work closely together.
“We have to look at critical areas where (ZFF and TFF) can strengthen cooperation to benefit the growth of football in both Isles and Tanzania Mainland…we are all one with a similar goal,” he said.
On how he will promote women’s football in Zanzibar, Jabir disclosed that plans are underway, beginning with those who believe letting women play football is against the norms of their community.
“Here, we need to include role models who are playing women’s football and still be a good mirror to the members of society. We can include Fatuma Issa, who plays for the national women’s football team with a ‘hijab’ on her head, as a role model to alert people that women can play football and still be respectable,” he said.
In another development, Jabir noted that they are relocating the ZFF office to a new place to pave the way for the ongoing renovation of Amani Stadium.
He further pointed out that they will work alongside the government under President Hussein Mwinyi’s visionary leadership to improve sports infrastructures in the Isles to benefit each sport discipline.
“We are also going to make sure that the league board and competition committee amend football guidelines to clear challenges spotted last season so that they should not resurface in the upcoming campaign,” he said.
