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Bewitching the pitch in Tanzania
>Emmanuel Muga
>BBC correspondent in Dar es Salaam
>
>After a spate of recent scandals, Tanzania's football authorities are
>trying to clamp down on the use of witchcraft.
>
>The two top teams - Simba and Yanga - were both fined after their players
>performed juju rituals in a recent clash.
>There have even been allegations that the national team used money
>earmarked for players to pay a witchdoctor.
>
>Simba players cast strange powder and broke eggs on the pitch before the
>game, which two Yanga players attempted to counteract by urinating on the
>field.
>
>Most of the footballers then entered the stadium with their backs to the
>pitch.
>
>In the end, their powers were evenly matched in a 2-2 draw, but both sides
>were fined by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) for their efforts.
>
>Influential fans
>
>Such antics, however, are common in Tanzanian football and witchdoctors
>receive sizeable payments for their services.
>
>The custom has a tendency to confuse professional players, including Somali
>Issa Abshir Aden, who plays for Simba.
>
>
>  A clique of people opposed me all the way because I didn't believe in
>that witchcraft of theirs
>Kassim Dewji
>Former Simba secretary general
>
>He says on occasions he has been told not to enter the dressing rooms
>because some juju is being performed.
>"In Tanzanian football they believe many things... it's strange for me," he
>said.
>
>Despite attempts to crack down on witchcraft, club leaders say that they
>are always under pressure from influential fans to accept the services of
>witchdoctors.
>
>Those who refuse risk losing their jobs. Kassim Dewji - Simba's secretary
>general until June - resigned, he says, after unsuccessfully trying to
>resist the use of witchcraft.
>
>"If you look at my record... I have won eight trophies - it is because I
>believed in coaches. I used to spend a lot of money to buy good players for
>the team - that's why the team did well.
>
>"But there was a clique of people who opposed me all the way because I
>didn't believe in that witchcraft of theirs."
>
>Mr Dewji also claims club leaders encourage the view that match victories
>are a result of witchcraft, as they use it as a way of making money.
>
>Funds allocated to witchcraft are not officially accounted for in club
>records, so as much as $5,000 - for big matches - can be pocketed by club
>officials on supposed witchcraft services, he says.
>
>Fruitless
>
>In September, Mwina Kaduguda, former TFF secretary-general, caused
>controversy by claiming the use of witchcraft was not limited to club
>matches.
>
>He said the federation paid for a witchdoctor to come to Nairobi for the
>national team's World Cup preliminary qualifier against Kenya, instead of
>paying the team's match allowances.
>
>
>  [Witchcraft] doesn't help anything
>Charles Mkwasa
>Former national coach
>
>The outlay proved fruitless with the Taifa Stars losing 3-0 to Kenya.
>Their dismal performance, Mr Kaduguda said, was a result of disgruntled
>players who had not received their pay.
>
>TFF has now made it clear that their policy is to accept the service of
>volunteer witchdoctors only.
>
>"If someone [a witchdoctor] comes with an offer to help, we simply say go
>and do your things because you like your national team, it is your team but
>no one will pay you," Charles Masanja, the federation's assistant secretary
>general said.
>
>It may be a wise move, as Tanzanian footballers are finding it difficult to
>match the standards of even their East African neighbours.
>
>Former national team coach Charles Mkwasa says witchcraft often hinders
>good performances by giving the players a false sense of security
>
>He says footballers would do better to concentrate on training, rather than
>relying on juju to get results.
>
>Story from BBC NEWS:
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/3756910.stm
>

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