Mo agrees to 49pc Simba stake
USINESSMAN
Mohammed Dewji has bowed to government’s regulation stipulating that if
a club is run as a commercial company, the majority of the voting
shares of that company have to be controlled by members.
Initially, Dewji, wanted to own 51 per
cent of the Mainland champions Simba SC shares, which will make him
majority shareholder of the club, but the government issued a directive
that only 49 per cent should be sold to an individual.
Speaking to journalists at a press
conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday,the Msimbazi Street’s club Lawyer,
Evodius Mtawala said everything in regard to the club’s transformation
process was going on smoothly with Dewji agreeing to take 49 per cent
stake at the club.
He called on members of the club to turn
up in big number during the members’ meeting at the Julius Nyerere
International Convection Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam on Sunday, to
make constitutional amendments.
During the previous extraordinary
member’s meeting held at the same venue on December 3rd last year, it
was announced Dewji won a 20bn/- takeover bid to become among majority
shareholders, while the remaining 50 per cent of the stakes will be
owned by other club members.
However, Ministry of Information,
Culture, Arts and Sports later insisted the clubs to adhere to a clause
in the regulations of the registration which states that a club must
hold a majority of its own voting rights Simba have been undergoing a
transformation process by changing its legal and institutional framework
from a members’ association into a public limited liability company to
be known as Simba Sports Club Limited, which will be formed jointly
between current members and Dewji.
During the members’ extraordinary
meeting, Chairman of the Special Committee of Investment, Judge Rtd,
Thomas Mihayo, declared Dewji as a winner of the 50 per cent stake at
the club.
Mihayo told at least 1320 club members
from various parts of the country, who attended the meeting that Dewji
was a sole applicant, who submitted Expression of Interest (EOI) to
invest in Simba SC Limited with a minimum capital injection of 20bn/-.
According to Simba’s interim President,
Salim Abdallah, the club was due to enter into a sixmonth transitional
period under a new leadership structure. Abdallah said under a new
structure, the team will be under 14 members’ board, of which, seven
will be picked from the members of the Executive Committee and seven
others will be picked by Dewji.
“During this transitional period, the
members of the committee will be tasked to oversee various programmes
and projects, which include discussions over major investments, coming
up with new projects, to hire experts, who will be required to implement
various strategic plans,” he said.
Abdallah popularly known as ‘Try Again’
insisted that throughout the takeover process, members’ rights and
interest will strictly be taken on board. Simba were owned exclusively
by members. Dewji would be taking a club ready-made with large fan base,
recognisable brand and proud tradition but with no steady management
and steady profits.
As he takes over, Dewji said he is aware
that Simba’s history is long and rich, but in recent years the club has
become more comfortable looking back than forward.
Trophies in their cupboards were
becoming less and less. Dewji, who is the president of Mohamed
Enterprises Limited (MeTL), is determined to change the club’s fate and
has come up with ten priorities.
In his first year after taking over,
Dewji alia ‘MO’ has promised to ensure that club retains its rightful
place in the continental football and compete with elite clubs in
Africa. “My ambition is to bring Simba to the top in Africa in few years
to come and I hope it can be done.
I think a lot of Simba fans are eager to
see their club get back up in Africans football, so the next one year
will be very tough for me. I hope we can do it.” He is planning to set
up an artificial training ground and another natural turf pitch as well
as modern hostels with over 30 rooms for players and technical bench
staff. A restaurant to serve players, technical staff and officials will
also be put in place.
He will also set up a stateof- the-art
gym a standard swimming pool for players to train and relax. Youth
football will also be given a priority and Under- 14, 16. And 18 teams
will be formed.
Dewji also had said the commercial
aspect and branding of the club would highly be taken into account with
quality merchandise on display and sale. He said money for the transfer
market would not be a problem as he will provide 500m/- to be used by
the technical bench for matters like camping and another 1bn/- for
registering new players.
Dewji said attracting top quality players who could transform the club will also be another priority.
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