Basketball in Africa

THE Dar es Salaam Regional Basketball Association (DARBA) has urged local cities which are expected to take part in the forthcoming East and Central Africa Inter-City Basketball games to make good preparations for the event.
Secretary General of DARBA Board of Directors, Mbaga Mwambona gave the call when unveiling the 16th edition of the games for Zone Five countries which will be held in Dar es Salaam from May 6th to 11th this year.
Speaking on behalf of the Intercity Organising Committee, Mwambona called for all the five cities in the country, Mwanza, Mbeya, Arusha, Tanga and the hosts Dar es Salaam to get well prepared for the games to ensure that they perform well in the tournament and guarantee the title do not cross borders.
Five local cities will battle it out with other 11 cities from Zone Five cities and other invited cities for the title which is currently held by Uganda's Mukono City in men's category and Kenya's Nairobi in women category.
Last year's event was held in Kampala, Uganda. Other cities which are expected to participate in the event are Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu from Kenya, from Uganda are Kampala and Mukono, Bujumbura (Burundi), Kigali (Rwanda), Mogadishu and Hargeisa (Somalia), Juba and Citizen South Sudan, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Cairo (Egypt).
Meanwhile, Mwambona has called upon the Dar es Salaam city administration to support the forthcoming East Central and Africa Intercity Basketball games.
He said the tournament will once again promote and propel the city's economy.
He also appealed for the three Dar es Salaam Municipalities of Ilala, Temeke and Kinondoni to participate and get involved in preparations for both men and women teams popularly known as 'Dream Teams' to ensure they represent well the host city.