The Tanzania Volleyball Federation (TVF) is pushing to have the Nyerere Cup incorporated into the official African Zone Five volleyball calendar in a move aimed at attracting more international teams, improving competition and raising Tanzania’s profile as a regional volleyball destination.
The proposal follows a competitive edition of the tournament in which Serengeti and Bandari emerged as champions in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively, after winning their finals at the TVF Arena in Mwembe Yanga, Dar es Salaam.
Serengeti claimed the men’s title with a 3–1 victory over Burundi’s Rukinzo, while Bandari secured the women’s championship after defeating JKT by the same scoreline.
Speaking to The Respondent Online after the tournament, TVF President Engineer Magoti Mtani said the competition had demonstrated its potential to attract stronger regional participation.
However, he noted that the number of foreign teams remained limited, partly because the tournament coincided with volleyball competitions in neighbouring countries, including Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda.
Mtani said securing a place for the Nyerere Cup on the Zone Five calendar would enable participating countries to plan their competition schedules in advance, minimise clashes with other tournaments and increase the number of teams travelling to Tanzania.
“Our goal is to have the Nyerere Cup recognised on the Zone Five calendar and eventually on the wider African volleyball calendar. The tournament should conclude on October 14, the anniversary of the death of the Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere. Other countries need to take this date into account when planning their competitions,” he said.
He emphasised that the federation wanted to build the tournament into a recognised regional event that would give Tanzanian clubs greater exposure while providing visiting teams with an opportunity to compete against some of the region’s strongest sides.
TVF Deputy Secretary-General Shukrani Ally said the federation was satisfied with the successful conclusion of the tournament and the emergence of new champions, noting that the high level of competition made the outcome difficult to predict.
He said the teams’ preparations and determination had contributed to closely contested matches, reflecting the growing competitiveness of the Nyerere Cup.
“With every team preparing well and displaying a strong competitive spirit, it was difficult to predict who would emerge as champions this season,” Ally said.
Ally identified early invitations to neighbouring countries as one of the key priorities for the next edition, explaining that giving teams sufficient notice would allow them to organise their preparations and participation more effectively.
He also disclosed that TVF intends to improve the prizes awarded to winning teams in the next edition as part of efforts to enhance the tournament’s appeal and encourage even stronger performances.
The deputy secretary-general thanked the stakeholders who supported this year’s event and called for continued investment in volleyball development.
He also urged new partners to join the initiative by supporting the next Nyerere Cup and the National Cup tournament scheduled for December.
Meanwhile, Serengeti captain Kevin Wanyama described the championship as a significant milestone for his team, saying the victory was particularly satisfying after years of participating in the tournament without winning the title.
He attributed the team’s success to hard work, determination, teamwork and the players’ ability to execute their coach’s instructions throughout the competition.
Wanyama also expressed gratitude to his teammates and TVF for their contributions to the team’s achievement.
If the proposal succeeds, the inclusion of the Nyerere Cup in the Zone Five calendar could help Tanzania attract more regional teams, improve the organisation of future editions and give local players greater exposure to international competition.
The move would also support TVF’s broader efforts to develop volleyball by making the tournament more competitive, increasing its visibility and creating stronger links between Tanzania and volleyball federations across the region.