Mwanza , also known as the rock city owing to the rocks that engulf the beautiful lakeside city will offer another derby in the Tanzanian top flight after Mbao FC got promoted to the top flight.

With Toto Africans already almost assured of safety, a clash between the two teams will lighten the city which has been off football activities for a while.

A club that  got registered in 2010  and has moved all the way from the fourth division(District league)  in 2012 to Division three(Provincial)  league in 2014 before shockingly gaining one of the automatic spots in the Second tier Group C

Mbao FC was formed by a section of businessmen who thought that football standards in the lakeside had dwindled, the men whose main business income generation was sale of timber, of which the name Mbao was derived are optimistic of doing well in the 2016/17 Vodacom league.

Mbao FC earned their slot to the top tier after match fixing scandals locked out Geita Gold, Polisi Tabor, JKT Oljoro, and Kanembwa with the said clubs being demoted to the third tier.

Mbao join African Lyon of Dar and Ruvu Shooting of Coast in next year’s tier.

This year alone, the league has witnessed a set of  four derbies, the usual Dar derby between Yanga and Simba, Shinyanga derby pitting Stand United against Mwadui, Mbeya derby between Tanzania Prisons  against Mbeya City and the Tanga derby between Coastal Union and African Sports.

 

With the Tanga derby facing extintion with the two clubs embroiled  in a relegation battle, the Mwanza derby is already assured next season after Mbao’s promotion.

 

According to Mbao FC chairman Zephania Mjash who spoke to Raia Mwema newspaper, they are prepared for the huge task ahead in the new Vodacom season.

“We only had 26 players including our top scorer Frank Damas Mushi, Venans Joseph and of course our captain who was named the best player David Mwas. ”

The club spokesman Chrisant Malinzi on the other hand said they will survive when they join the league and what they need is to recruit wisely.

 

Mbao FC are based  sabasaba  area of Ilemela District and some of the players that have made it possible for the team to gain promotion include

Emmanuel Mseja,

Deus Tilusubya,

Samwel Okoth,

Mello Lusangi,

Davis Mwasa,

Charles Msuka,

Kuchi Charles,

Vicent Joseph

Venance Joseph.
Okello Boaz,

Salum Aziz,

Isack Charles,

Frank Damas,

Ndani Robert,

Rajab Rashid,

Amir Said,

Stephen Kigocha

Samwel Kabugo