TANZANIA Football Federation (TFF) has threatened to ban league champions Simba FC from participating in the upcoming Kagame Cup.

The saga started early this week when axed chairmanship aspirant Michael Wambura filed a lawsuit at Dar es Salaam court against the club’s executive committee and TFF electoral committee following the omission of some candidates for the May 9 polls.

TFF general secretary Fredrick Mwakalebela now claims that they have ordered the club’s executive committee to take stern measures against Wambura or risk not playing in the regional competition.

"We’re aware that some Simba members have filed lawsuits and there are still those who are planning to go to court. This is against the constitutions of FIFA, CAF, TFF and Simba, so those members should be disciplined,” Mwakalebela told Tanzanian media.

Mwakalebela also pointed out that there are strict regulations that stipulate that disputes within the football family are to be resolved using internal resolution mechanisms, and not to be taken to ordinary courts of law.

Should the Simba leadership fail to execute the TFF order by the said date, Mwakalebela said the club will be banned from participating in local and international competitions.

Simba, who are also representing Tanzania in the Orange Confederation Cup, have a big mountain to climb in the Kagame Cup after being drawn in Group C alongside reigning champions Atraco, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and Kenya’s Sofapaka.

Last year, Atraco romped to the title after a shocking 1-0 win over hosts El-Merreikh of Sudan in the final. It was the biggest upset in the competition’s 34-year history not only because it was the Taxi Men’s debut in the event, but also because El-Merreikh had hammered Atraco 6-1 in the group stage.

This year’s edition will be staged in Kigali from May 15 to 29.

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