Stars earn heroes’ welcome

DAR ES SALAAM: JULIUS Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) pulsed with colour, rhythm and emotion yesterday, as hundreds of Tanzanian football supporters thronged the airport to welcome home the Taifa Stars players after their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign in Morocco.

Long before the aircraft appeared on the horizon, the sound arrived first.

A low, rumbling beat rolled down the access road, growing louder with every step towards the terminal. Drums thudded, music blared and animated voices overlapped, many replaying the same moment again and again — the denied penalty against hosts Morocco that in the eyes of supporters altered the course of Tanzania’s tournament.

By mid-morning, JNIA had been drenched in blue, green and yellow. Children, youths, women and elderly fans mingled freely, united by football and pride.

Almost everyone wore something symbolic — a Taifa Stars jersey, a cap in national colours, or a placard praising the team’s journey to the round of 16. Flags fluttered above heads, wrapped around shoulders and tied to car mirrors, transforming the arrival terminal into an extension of the terraces left behind in Morocco.

The rhythm never faded. Drumbeats blended with traditional dances from different communities, feet stamping and bodies swaying in unison.

The airport felt less like a transit hub and more like a festival ground. Between the dances, small groups broke off to analyse the last match, re-enacting the penalty incident in the air with pointed fingers and shaking heads.

Placards bobbed above the crowd. Some credited the Sixth Phase Government for motivating the team through Goli la Mama.

Others carried simpler messages — ‘I love Tanzania’, among others. Near the team bus, fans queued patiently to take photographs, smiling broadly, determined to document their presence on a day of national pride.

Media crews threaded through the throng, microphones raised, cameras rolling, capturing voices heavy with emotion. This was not a gathering of defeat, but one of defiance and belief.

Among the earliest arrivals was Mzee Said Slim (69) from Tabata, who said he had reached the airport at 9:00 am. He stood firm in his view.

“Tanzania were unfairly treated so that the hosts could stay,” he said.

“We were not eliminated on merit; we were pushed out because we were playing the hosts. They could not allow the home side to go out — that is why Idd Suleiman was denied a penalty.”

To him and many others, the exit felt less about football and more about circumstance. As the wait stretched on — the plane delayed by nearly two hours — patience never thinned.

Young men broke into acrobatics near the fence, flips and handstands drawing cheers with every landing.

One woman, draped in a Taifa Stars jersey, said she was ready to wait even five hours just to show appreciation for the national heroes.

Calls rose for the players to arrive on an open bus, so supporters could see their faces and return the effort with applause. When the aircraft finally touched down, the noise swelled again — loud, imperfect and emotional.

Smiles spread as players disembarked, greeted by government officials, football leaders and jubilant fans. As the convoy rolled away, chants softened but pride lingered.

Tanzania had not come to mourn elimination. It had come to reclaim its team — and to remind them that, win or lose, they are never alone. Simon Msuva thanked supporters for their unwavering backing and for turning up in large numbers at JNIA to welcome the team home.

Speaking as he addressed fans, Deputy Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Hamis Mwinjuma praised those who attended the reception to applaud and encourage the Taifa Stars.

Mwinjuma said the team had been unfairly eliminated, adding that had justice prevailed, Tanzania could well have progressed to the quarter-finals.

“Our target was to reach the round of 16, but if fairness had truly been upheld, we would now be talking about the quarter-finals,” said Mwinjuma.

“What the team displayed is a positive sign as we prepare to host AFCON 2027.”

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Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, Albert Chalamila, while congratulating Taifa Stars for their fighting spirit, went further to reassure citizens of safety and stability ahead of the AFCON 2027 tournament, which Tanzania is set to co-host.

He confirmed that the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam is expected to host matches and assured the public that the city will be secure and well prepared.

“I thank the President for providing a large aircraft to bring our players back from Morocco,” Chalamila said.

“But more importantly, you all know what lies ahead in 2027 here in Dar es Salaam and across Tanzania. This team has clearly made significant progress and improved greatly.

This is credit to the Ministry and to the coaches.” Chalamila added that, as Regional Commissioner, he has already formed a regional AFCON 2027 organising committee to ensure thorough preparations.

“I have already established my regional committee to make sure preparations for AFCON 2027 are comprehensive — and perhaps even better than what we witnessed in Morocco,” he said.

The players disembarked from the aircraft smiling, warmly received by government officials and football leaders, all visibly delighted.

Among those present were Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports Palamagamba Kabudi, Deputy Minister Hamis Mwinjuma, Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila, Government Chief Spokesperson and Permanent Secretary Gerson Msigwa, alongside senior officials from the Ministry.

Reflecting on the campaign, Msuva said the team had gained valuable lessons.

Msuva also praised head coach Miguel Gamondi, noting that he had done commendable work despite having limited time with the squad.

“There is a lot we have learned and continue to learn every day,” he said.

“There are things we have seen, and our leaders have seen, that show we must truly prepare as we head towards 2027.”

He added: “I believe we can reach the quarter-finals. Tanzanians have seen it, and the world has seen how Tanzania played in this tournament. We performed well — maybe not perfectly — but we played to the best of our ability.”

Tanzania Football Federation president Wallace Karia also commended Tanzanians for their passion for football, urging them to continue supporting the sport as it enhances the country’s image internationally.

He said that during the AFCON tournament in Morocco, the Taifa Stars were respected as representatives of a nation that genuinely loves sport.

“I do not have much to add, except to congratulate Tanzanians for their love of sport,” Karia said.

“Tanzania is no longer taken lightly. We showed courage in Morocco, and I hope that courage continues.”

During the reception at JNIA, various gifts were presented to President Samia Suluhu Hassan, coach Miguel Gamondi and several Taifa Stars players.

Notably, player Bakari Mwamnyeto received a gift of jogoo from fan and a bunch of flowers as a sign of appreciation for his performance.