Simba and Yanga ‘fight’ for Mbuyu

A dispute is boiling between Tanzanian Premier League giants Simba SC and Yanga Africans over the transfer of APR and Amavubi defender Mbuyu Twite.

Friday, August 10, 2012
Twite twin brothers Mbuyu (L) and Kabange (R) are both out of contract with APR and are attracting interest from Tanzanian clubs. The New Times / T. Kisambira.

A dispute is boiling between Tanzanian Premier League giants Simba SC and Yanga Africans over the transfer of APR and Amavubi defender Mbuyu Twite.According to Simba club chairman Ismail Aden Rage, Mbuyu put pen to paper with his side early this month and pocketed a sign-on fee worth $10,000.As Simba claims to have signed the player for the new season, rivals Yanga are also hanging by the same claim, but advantage for them is that they’re willing to sign both Mbuyu and his twin brother Kabange.Recent reports from the APR camp indicate that Mbuyu and Kabange are on the verge of joining Yanga Africans. Simba are also trying hard to get Mbuyu’s ITC from Rwanda but Yanga have used another way of attaining his transfer certificate.Yanga have gone an extra step to have the versatile defender change his name and nationality, and will request his ITC from DR Congo’s St. Eloi Lupopo, a club both Mbuyu and his brother last played for before joining APR in 2006.Media reports in Tanzania say both sides are doing "everything possible to have Mbuyu in their camp” before the transfer window for the Mainland Premiership clubs comes to an end today as teams gear up for the new season kick off at the beginning of next month.Sources close to Mbuyu told this paper that the player can only sign for the same club as his brother, a factor that plays in favour of the 2012 Cecafa/Kagame Cup winners.Tanzanian Premier League champions Simba are also still involved in another row over the transfer of their centre back Kelvin Yondani, who crossed to their archrivals (Yanga) at the beginning of last month.