The Tanzania Handball Federation (THF) has appointed a three-member coaching team for the senior women’s national handball team as the country prepares to host the IHF Africa Zone V Championships from November 4 to 8, 2026.
Announcing the appointments in Dar es Salaam on October 13, THF Head of Information, Public Relations and Marketing, Vedastus Gunda, said Salum Rashid Manguri would serve as head coach, Kombo A. Kombo as assistant coach and Joel Joseph Babara as goalkeeping coach.
Gunda said the appointments followed recommendations from THF’s Technical Directorate and Coaches Committee, which assessed the candidates’ profiles and determined their suitability for the roles.
He said the coaching team would immediately begin preparations, including selecting the national squad in collaboration with the technical committees of THF and the Zanzibar Handball Association (ZAHA).
“The coaches will be responsible for selecting the national team squad in collaboration with the THF and ZAHA technical committees ahead of the upcoming championships. The process will begin immediately,” Gunda said.
In a related development, THF has appointed JKT club coach Lydia Joseph Kimaro as the team’s mentor to support the squad during preparations for the competition.
Gunda congratulated the appointed officials and urged them to execute their responsibilities diligently, noting that their contribution would be important in strengthening the national team and advancing handball development in Tanzania.
With the championships set to be held on home soil, the appointments mark a key step in Tanzania’s preparations as the women’s team works towards delivering a competitive performance against other nations in Africa’s Zone V.