Bewitching the pitch in Tanzania

Emmanuel Muga
BBC correspondent in Dar es Salaam

After a spate of recent scandals, Tanzania's football authorities are trying to clamp down on the use of witchcraft.

Simba were recently fined $500 for performing witchcraft rituals

The two top teams - Simba and Yanga - were both fined after their players performed juju rituals in a recent clash.

There have even been allegations that the national team used money earmarked for players to pay a witchdoctor.

Simba players cast strange powder and broke eggs on the pitch before the game, which two Yanga players attempted to counteract by urinating on the field.

Most of the footballers then entered the stadium with their backs to the pitch.

In the end, their powers were evenly matched in a 2-2 draw, but both sides were fined by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) for their efforts.

Influential fans

Such antics, however, are common in Tanzanian football and witchdoctors receive sizeable payments for their services.

The custom has a tendency to confuse professional players, including Somali Issa Abshir Aden, who plays for Simba.

A clique of people opposed me all the way because I didn't believe in that witchcraft of theirs Kassim Dewji Former Simba secretary general

He says on occasions he has been told not to enter the dressing rooms because some juju is being performed.

"In Tanzanian football they believe many things... it's strange for me," he said.

Despite attempts to crack down on witchcraft, club leaders say that they are always under pressure from influential fans to accept the services of witchdoctors.

Those who refuse risk losing their jobs. Kassim Dewji - Simba's secretary general until June - resigned, he says, after unsuccessfully trying to resist the use of witchcraft.

"If you look at my record... I have won eight trophies - it is because I believed in coaches. I used to spend a lot of money to buy good players for the team - that's why the team did well.

"But there was a clique of people who opposed me all the way because I didn't believe in that witchcraft of theirs."

Mr Dewji also claims club leaders encourage the view that match victories are a result of witchcraft, as they use it as a way of making money.

Funds allocated to witchcraft are not officially accounted for in club records, so as much as $5,000 - for big matches - can be pocketed by club officials on supposed witchcraft services, he says.

Fruitless

In September, Mwina Kaduguda, former TFF secretary-general, caused controversy by claiming the use of witchcraft was not limited to club matches.

He said the federation paid for a witchdoctor to come to Nairobi for the national team's World Cup preliminary qualifier against Kenya, instead of paying the team's match allowances.

[Witchcraft] doesn't help anything Charles Mkwasa Former national coach

The outlay proved fruitless with the Taifa Stars losing 3-0 to Kenya.

Their dismal performance, Mr Kaduguda said, was a result of disgruntled players who had not received their pay.

TFF has now made it clear that their policy is to accept the service of volunteer witchdoctors only.

"If someone [a witchdoctor] comes with an offer to help, we simply say go and do your things because you like your national team, it is your team but no one will pay you," Charles Masanja, the federation's assistant secretary general said.

It may be a wise move, as Tanzanian footballers are finding it difficult to match the standards of even their East African neighbours.

Former national team coach Charles Mkwasa says witchcraft often hinders good performances by giving the players a false sense of security

He says footballers would do better to concentrate on training, rather than relying on juju to get results.