TPDF Teams Off for EAC Military Games

Tanzania representatives at this year's East African Military Games and Cultural Event, scheduled to start in Kigali, Rwanda tomorrow, have been ordered to win top honours for the country and return home with overall trophy. This 10th edition of the event to be held at Amahoro National Stadium, will be held under the theme; "One people One Destiny through EAC Military games and cultural event 2016". Tanzania People's Defence Forces (TPDF) will send a strong team of 110 athletes to compete in five different disciplines -- soccer, netball, basketball, and handball and cross country. The team was presented with the national flag in Dar es Salaam yesterday, ready for the two-week event. The teams are set to depart to Rwanda today, ready for the games. Presenting the national flag to team's head of delegation, Brigadier General Jairos Mwaseba, the Chief of Military Training and Operations from the TPDF, Issa Nassoro, said that teams must win overall titles. "Military teams must set a benchmark for others to follow, you must demonstrate the technical ability to learn your opponents' weaknesses and destroy them," he said. Nassoro, who graced the sending off occasion on behalf of Chief Defence Forces (CDF) Davis Mwamunyange, pointed out that he understands that all participating countries Kenya, Uganda and hosts Rwanda are well prepared, saying Tanzania must go there well equipped and ready for battle. "You must put up the highest degree of fighting spirit and efforts to win. We can not entertain notion of participation, we must compete and win for Tanzanians this is why you are been given the national flag," he said. He also added that athletes must maintain discipline, observe game rules, team work and fair play because sports are all about friendship. On his part, Mwaseba promised trophies, saying the teams have been undergoing intensive training at their residential camp in Zanzibar and Manyara since June this year. He said that they understand that last year results were not good, insisting that this time around they are determined to put much more efforts to post remarkable achievement. Mwaseba said that Tanzania must emulate the 2014 games success that was held in Zanzibar in which the team finished with flying colours. He said that due to several reasons Burundi will be missing at this year's event, taking his time as well to pay special gratitude to sponsors who supported the team's trip to Kigali. He named them as NMB bank, People Bank of Zanzibar, Azam Tv, Bakhressa Group of Company, Smart General Sports and EFM Radio.
Courtesy of: dailynews.co.tz