THE Minister of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports, Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi, is set to convene a crucial meeting with officials from the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB), Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba to resolve the ongoing dispute surrounding the postponement of the highly anticipated Dar es Salaam Derby in the Mainland Premier League.

The meeting will take place in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, with representatives from Young Africans, Simba, TFF, and TPLB expected to be in attendance. 

The session aims to address the controversy that emerged following the last-minute rescheduling of the match, which was initially set for March 8 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

A senior Young Africans official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the club’s participation in the meeting. 

“It is true that we will meet with Minister Kabudi (pictured) to discuss various issues, including the postponement of our match against Simba. We have received the official communication and will attend the meeting,” the official stated.

Similarly, a representative from the Premier League board confirmed their attendance, emphasizing that the main agenda will revolve around the fixture’s postponement. 

“We have been informed about the meeting and will be there. The discussion will primarily focus on the postponement of the Yanga vs Simba match,” the official said.

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Gerson Msigwa, also affirmed the scheduled meeting, highlighting Minister Kabudi’s role in chairing the discussions. He further confirmed that Simba officials would also take part in the session.

Meanwhile, Young Africans are said to have escalated the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after expressing dissatisfaction with the handling of the issue by local football authorities. The club maintains that the postponement was unjustified and contravened the league’s regulations.

The dispute stems from Simba’s claims that their pre-match training rights were violated ahead of the original fixture date. 

Simba alleged that Young Africans officials denied them access to the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium for their final training session, an essential pre-game routine stipulated in league regulations.

In response, Simba formally lodged a complaint with both the TPLB and TFF, stating that they would not participate in the scheduled match due to the infringement of their rights. The club argued that their preparation had been compromised and demanded the game be postponed.

Conversely, Young Africans remained firm on their stance, insisting that the game should proceed as planned. The club argued that the league’s regulations did not warrant a postponement under the circumstances and accused Simba of attempting to manipulate the fixture schedule to their advantage.

Following Simba’s complaint, the TPLB issued an official statement citing Article 34.1 (1.3) of the league’s regulations, which allows for fixture postponements in emergency circumstances. 

The board determined that Simba’s concerns justified invoking the clause, leading to the controversial rescheduling of the match.

The decision has since sparked heated debates among football stakeholders, with Young Africans taking legal action in pursuit of what they deem justice