President Samia Suluhu Hassan has donated TZS200 million to the national football team, Taifa Stars, as an incentive ahead of their highly anticipated quarterfinal clash against Morocco in the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The match will take place on August 22 at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The announcement was delivered on Wednesday by the Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi, who visited the team at their camp to commend them for their progress in the tournament, co-hosted by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.
Prof. Kabudi said the financial reward was intended to motivate the players to give their best performance as they fight for a place in the semifinals and work towards keeping the trophy in Tanzania.
“Today we came to see Taifa Stars with a special message from President Samia. She has offered TZS200 million as a gift before Friday’s match, to encourage the players and boost their morale so they can deliver a strong performance,” Prof. Kabudi said.
The minister emphasized that the donation is in addition to other commitments the President has previously made.
He added that stakeholders have also come forward to support the team, with Azam contributing TZS50 million and NMB Bank pledging TZS10 million. This brings the total amount handed to Taifa Stars to Sh260 million.
Prof. Kabudi appealed to more stakeholders and fans to back the national team through both financial and moral support, noting that collective encouragement would help keep the players focused and inspired as they chase glory on home soil.
