Karia’s bias: A clear case of favouritism in Tanzanian football

President of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), Wallace Karia, has undeniably made his stance clear during the ongoing controversy between Yanga and Simba.

The events surrounding the cancellation of the March 8 derby have shown that, even before the full investigation is complete, Karia has seemingly taken a side. And, regrettably, it appears he has sided with one of the parties involved.

When Simba announced their boycott of the match against Yanga, citing their denial of access to Benjamin Mkapa Stadium for training as per regulations, the situation was already murky.

The Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) had initially issued a statement declaring that Simba had failed to follow protocol, and that the match would proceed as scheduled.

However, just two hours before the match was set to kick off, the same board reversed its decision, citing security concerns and possible corruption—an alarming statement that required further scrutiny.

Rather than allowing the independent bodies under TFF to investigate the matter thoroughly, Karia instead chose to speak out. And in doing so, he effectively threw his weight behind one side of the controversy—despite the fact that, as president of TFF, he should have remained neutral until the matter was resolved.

By publicly dismissing Yanga’s concerns about the conduct of TPLB officials Stephen Mghuto and Almasi Kasongo, Karia not only failed to act as an impartial leader, but also contributed to further divisions within Tanzanian football.

His statement that those questioning the integrity of the TPLB officials should first assess their own club’s leadership was both out of place and a blatant attempt to dismiss legitimate concerns. Karia’s claim that “no wrong justifies another” seemed to fly in the face of fairness and accountability—an ironic stance from someone who heads the very body tasked with overseeing football governance in the country.

Equally problematic was Karia’s dismissal of the possibility of Yanga not participating in any rescheduled match against Simba. His remarks, suggesting that Yanga should instead pursue a career in acting if they intended to disrupt football, were an insult to both the fans and the leadership of Yanga.

Football should not be reduced to personal vendettas, and such comments only serve to alienate fans who are looking for leadership, not childish remarks.

Karia’s decision to enter the fray publicly before all facts were available not only compromised his neutrality but also raised doubts about his ability to lead fairly. The TFF president should have waited for a comprehensive investigation into the issues surrounding the postponement before making any statements that could be construed as biased.

It was particularly disappointing to see Karia make such harsh remarks, especially when this exact situation had unfolded in a similar manner two years ago. Back then, the TPLB’s decision to change the match time between Yanga and Simba caused widespread outrage. Fans, who had been making their way to the stadium for hours, found themselves stranded with no clarity on the situation—once again, TFF’s handling of the matter was questionable.

Fast forward to today, and the same sort of mismanagement appears to have occurred again. Yet this time, Karia is eager to defend one side without waiting for an independent investigation into the motives behind the match’s cancellation. His failure to demand transparency only undermines the integrity of the entire system.

It is imperative for Karia to show that he is a leader for all of Tanzanian football, not just for one faction. If he truly wants to restore confidence in the TFF, he must call for a thorough investigation into the security concerns and potential corruption that led to the match postponement. This investigation should be impartial and transparent, allowing all parties involved to have their concerns addressed.

Rather than throwing his weight behind one side, Karia should have made it clear that the TFF would not tolerate any wrongdoing, regardless of who the perpetrators were. The principle of fairness must always come first in football governance, and Karia’s failure to demonstrate this in his public comments is a worrying sign of bias that risks further damage to Tanzanian football.

At this critical juncture, Karia must learn to temper his emotions and refrain from making public statements that compromise his position. As the head of TFF, his words carry significant weight, and any sign of partiality can irreparably damage the credibility of the federation. Tanzanian football deserves a leader who will prioritise transparency, fairness and integrity over personal bias and divisiveness.