Tanzania’s Taifa Stars will miss the services of winger Thomas Ulimwengu and skipper Mbwana Samatta when they lock horns with Kenya’s Harambee Stars in a friendly tie on Sunday 29 at Moi Sports Centre Kasarani, Nairobi.

Ulimwengu has a club duty to honor with the reigning CAF Champions League holders TP Mazembe of DR Congo, same case with captain Mbwana Samatta of Belgium Pro League side KRC Genk.

Taifa Stars’ squad of twenty five plus the technical staff led by head Coach Benjamin Mkwasa are already in Nairobi,Kenya minus the two dreaded forwards. Samatta is the reigning African Footballer of Year based in Africa – he has since become a regular starter for Genk and has a couple of goals to his credit thus far since crossing over from Mazembe.

In their absence, John Rafael Bocco of Azam, Deus Kaseke of Champions Yanga SC are expected to lead attack against Harambee Stars.

Former skipper Nadir Haroub also made it to Nairobi contrary to reports that he turned down Taifa Stars’ call over captaincy row. The Yanga captain ditched the national team in a huff early this year after being stripped off the armband unceremoniously.

The Tanzania Squad:

Defenders: Mwinyi Haji, Nadir Haroub na Juma Abdul (Young Africans), Aggrey Moris, David Mwantika na Erasto Nyoni (Azam) Mohammed Hussein (Simba) na Vicent Andrew (Mtibwa Sugar).

Midfielders: Himid Mao, Farid Mussa (Azam), Jonas Mkude na Mwinyi Kazimoto (Simba), Mohammed Ibrahim na Shiza Kichuya (Mtibwa Sugar), Ismail Issa (JKT Ruvu), Juma Mahadhi (Coastal Union) na Hassan Kabunda (Mwadui).

Strikers: Elias Maguli (Stand United), Ibrahim Ajib (Simba), John Bocco (Azam), Deus Kaseke (Young Africans) na Jeremiah Juma (Prisons).

@bonfaceosano

Bonface Osano

African Football Writer contributing @Soka25east | Commentator; appeared on @MySoccerAfrica, @KweseSports, @ntvkenya, others | Keen follower of African Football. E-mail: bonfaceosano@gmail.com