Kenya vs Tanzania: Yanga Chief Aims Another Swipe at Harambee Stars as CHAN Rivalry Intensifies
- Yanga official Ally Kamwe once again stoked the fire of the ongoing rivalry and banter between Kenya and Tanzania
- Kamwe had initially responded to Benni McCarthy's comments, but has now criticised President William Ruto's cash incentives
- Kenya will be at home to Madagascar as Tanzania take on Morocco in the other quarter-final on Friday, August 22
Kenya will only face Tanzania at the African Nations Championships if both teams reach the final, but with the ongoing back-and-forth online, one might think they have a game today.
Source: UGC
The two countries have engaged in online banter as they seek to start their knockout campaign on a high note on Friday evening.
Harambee Stars will play Madagascar at the Kasarani Stadium, while Tanzania will take on two-time winners Morocco at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Head of media and communications at Yanga, one of Tanzania's biggest clubs, Ally Kamwe, has been at the forefront of responding to Kenya's banter.
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Kenya vs Tanzania feud at CHAN 2024
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy started the storm when he sarcastically wished Tanzania all the best in their game against Morocco.
Kamwe fired back and said the Atlas Lions will be the underdogs in that game, claiming that Kenya didn't play anyone tough in their supposed 'Group of Death'.
"Every now and then, it is as if Kenyans are testing us. I saw Kenya's coach saying we will see what they saw in the Group of Death. Which Group of Death? Angola? Congo? Is that a Group of Death?"
The outspoken official has now stoked the fire further, calling Harambee Stars players 'robots' for playing for money, not patriotism.
One of the major headlines in this tournament has been the millions President William Ruto has dished out to the players in bonuses.
Tanzania club official slams Ruto's incentives
So far, every Harambee Stars player has received at least KSh 5 million from the Head of State, with more rewards on the line the further they progress.
Kamwe has taken issue with the approach, stating that Tanzania players play out of love for their country, not because of money.
"In a nutshell, what is happening there is that Kenyans have created robots to play on the pitch. They play for the sake of money while Taifa Stars play for the country. We play for the respect for the nation. About motivation, our president started it long time ago to every team. For this CHAN, we moulding patriotic players who fight for the nation," he said in a video reshared by The Standard Digital.
Will Kenya play in Tanzania?
Away from the money issue, Kamwe was quick to remind Kenyans that a trip to Tanzania will be inevitable should they beat Madagascar.
Kenya's semi-final match is pencilled for Dar es Salaam between one of Sudan or Algeria, should they get past the Barea on Friday.
"Secondly, Kenyans forget they will play semi finals here at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. I'm praying they beat Madagascar so that they can come here for the semi finals and say the things they are saying here, and we show them if we want them out of the tournament. We will fill up the stadium to see who they are playing against and they will hear our chants," he added.
There have been claims that Kenyans bought the tickets to the Tanzania vs Morocco game in a bid to drive down the stadium attendance and reduce the home support for Taifa Stars.
Source: Twitter
The Tanzanian government has since quashed those rumours, assuring its citizens there will be enough space for everyone who wants to attend the game.
Comparing Ruto's to Samia Suluhu's pledges
In a related story, both Ruto and his Tanzanian counterpart, Samia Suluhu, pledged lofty bonuses to their teams at CHAN 2024.
Tanzania started their campaign by beating Burkina Faso 2-0 before Harambee Stars followed suit on Sunday. The two teams have since reached the quarter-finals stage.
The players of both teams stand to gain handsomely from the bonuses of their presidents.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
