Simba SC have welcomed the decision by President John Magufuli to assure Tanzanians the Mainland Premier League could return this week following a decrease in the number of coronavirus victims.
Speaking on Sunday, Magufuli said the current graph of the Covid-19 was very encouraging and this might make him allow normal activities to resume as soon as May 18.
The Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF) suspended football activities in the East African nation in March after the government had banned public meetings as a way of containing the coronavirus.
“I am emphasizing the need to remain cautious and keep praying. We need not relax on the safety measures we have been observing but we need to remain committed on them,” President Magufuli said on Sunday.
“The way I am observing the trend [of the coronavirus infections vs recovery] and if we start the week tomorrow on the same footing, I have planned to reopen the schools so that our students can return for their education.
“And I also have a plan, for the nation, to allow the sports activities to resume and go on because these activities bring entertainment for the Tanzanians. Life has to go on.”
Simba have become the first team to welcome the move with club’s Communication Officer Haji Manara stating they all wanted the league to be played to the end so that they can get a deserved winner.
“We were commanding the league race, far ahead of the rest with voluminous points. We want the league to continue and claim the title. We just want a few points to claim the title for the third time in a row,” Manara is quoted by Daily News.
“We did not want to be given the trophy before all matches are played as this could have given our rivals time to keep saying we won a league without playing all the matches, we welcome the move and are ready to resume matches.”
With a number of key foreign players stranded in their countries and unable to fly back to Tanzania, Magufuli's order to allow planes to land in the country might ease the pressure faced by the stars.
Simba SC's Meddie Kagere is in Rwanda, Clatous Chama is in Zambia, Kenya's Francis Kahata is held up in Nairobi while Sharaf Shiboub is in Sudan.
Yanga SC's head coach Luc Eymael is in Belgium and the president's order might serve to make his travel plans back into the country easier.