IN a remarkable initiative aimed at promoting national pride, the Deputy Minister for Culture, Arts, and Sports, Hamis Mwinjuma, has called for the adoption of Taifa Stars jerseys as official office attire.

Speaking during the launch of a new e-commerce platform on Wednesday in Dar es Salaam, Mwinjuma, popularly known as 'Mwana FA' emphasized efforts to enhance accessibility to national soccer team (Taifa Stars) jerseys, particularly ahead of the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) for locally based players.

In his remarks, Mwinjuma highlighted the importance of unity and national identity, especially as the country approaches its general elections. He urged heads of institutions across the country to designate specific days for employees to wear the national jerseys at work as a way to foster team spirit and demonstrate support for the Taifa Stars.

“This initiative is crucial for building a unified nation. Sports have the potential to bring us together, and wearing the Taifa Stars jerseys can serve as a symbol of our collective pride,” he said.

He encouraged organizations not only to embrace the practice but also to invest in purchasing jerseys for their employees via the new digital platform.

The appeal coincides with the introduction of an online sales platform for the jerseys by the National Bank of Commerce (NBC), in collaboration with Vodacom Tanzania and Sandaland Company.

Supporting the initiative, Mangire Kibanda, NBC’s head of transactions, outlined the user-friendly features of the new platform, which allows fans and institutions to purchase jerseys without visiting physical retail outlets.

“We welcome businesses interested in selling Taifa Stars jerseys to make payments by depositing funds into Sandaland's account at NBC or by visiting our branches and agents across the country. This will enable faster and more efficient purchases, especially in the lead-up to the CHAN tournament,” Kibanda said.

The joint effort aims not only to boost sales of Taifa Stars jerseys but also to strengthen national unity and pride as Tanzania prepares for major sporting events.