Tanzania puts to shame local stadia management

By ROBIN TOSKIN

Tanzania completed the construction of an ultra-modern 60,000 capacity Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam in 2008, funded to the tune of Sh4.2 billion largely by the Chinese government.

Instructively, Kenya’s premier stadium, Moi International Sports Centre at Kasarani, was also constructed using grants from the Chinese for the 4th All Africa Games in 1987.

Although both facilities were built by China and, if technological age difference factored in, the maintenance and management practices of the facilities greatly differ.

In sharp contrast to FeverPitch’s revelations in previous stories in ‘State of Our Stadia’, Tanzania appear to be miles ahead of their Kenyan counterparts. The 60,000-seater Benjamin Mkapa Stadium was constructed adjacent to the Dar es Salaam National Stadium, which is the same age as Kenya’s City Stadium. Kenya’s City Stadium, which had artificial turf under the Fifa Goal Project, indeed is a crying shame compared to the Dar es Salaam National Stadium.

While City Stadium changing rooms, toilets and gym are dilapidated, Dar National Stadium is a shining example with very clean washrooms, dining, lounge and media centre.

Numbered seats

City Stadium was designed to have a track for running, but to call it one as such would put to shame its cattle ruts.

Dar es Salaam’s running track, though not purposely built for athletics, puts to shame Nyayo National Stadium, which is to host the Africa Athletics Championships in August. While the Dar Stadium has a secure perimeter fence, most referees shudder at the thought of officiating at City Stadium what with the overzealous fans.

Somehow, Tanzania Football Federation had enough funds for the Fifa Goal Project as to lay an artificial turf on Dar National Stadium and the remainder to lay an extra pitch in front of their ultra-modern offices.

Dar Stadium has numbered seats on the main stand unlike the cold concrete at City Stadium, Nyayo and Kasarani.

Tanzania’s main stadium, Benjamin Mkapa, has numbered seats all round, each having enough legroom besides separate zones for VIPs and the Press. There are escalators in the VIP lounge for accessing the highest tiers.

There are 114 CCTV cameras fitted around the stadium, a lavish VIP lounge, 600 car parking spaces, public address system, an electronic scoreboard and five main gates.

Yet Kenya, that prides itself as the largest economy in East Africa with some of the most qualified personnel in most economic spheres, has stadia by name. FeverPitch’s verdict is we should look ourselves in the mirror.