Bandari out to spoil Yanga’s Mwananchi Day celebrations
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 12.09.25. | 11:37
The week-long Wiki ya Wananchi, draped in yellow-and-green pride, will climax with today’s friendly that stands as the crown jewel of the festival
Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) outfit Bandari FC will lock horns with Tanzanian giants Young Africans SC (Yanga) in the annual Mwananchi Day celebrations at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
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The Dockers have named a 30-man squad for the fixture that is scheduled to kick off at 5pm (East African Time).
For Yanga, Mwananchi Day is no ordinary date on the calendar; it is carnival and coronation rolled into one, a theatre where football meets music.
The week-long Wiki ya Wananchi (Citizens week), draped in yellow-and-green pride, will climax with today’s friendly that stands as the crown jewel of the festival.
Bandari touched down in the coastal city on Wednesday, with the clash against Yanga set to be the final and most significant game of their preseason tour.
The festival not only celebrates the club’s heritage but also gives fans a chance to connect with their heroes before the new season begins.
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Speaking to Mozzart Sport, Yanga’s head of communications, Ali Kamwe, revealed that the club settled on Bandari after approaches to other Kenyan heavyweights, including AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia, fell through.
“We were looking for a Kenyan team because as Yanga, we are the champions here in Tanzania. We have won the title about 30 times, and with the football banter between Kenya and Tanzania, we needed a team from across the border.
Kenyan teams really fear playing against Yanga. Each team we approached refused, but Bandari accepted the invitation. They will be used to send our narrative back home, and we believe it is going to be a huge match,” Kamwe said.
The friendly has generated regional interest, especially coming in the wake of the recent African Nations Championship (CHAN) encounters, which ended with Kenya and Tanzania bowing out at the quarterfinal stage.
Ni Siku ya Yanga Day.
— Latto 𝕏 (@Rydx_017) September 12, 2025
Watu washaanza ingia Uwanjani.
Ila ukiangalia hapa kwenye hii video, watu wengi hawajavaa jezi ya Yanga.
Hii inaonyesha Yanga wamepata hasara sana, kwenye mauzo ya jezi za msimu huu.
Video kwa Comments 👇 pic.twitter.com/9KAkwhZeAN
Tensions are already bubbling ahead of the game, with Kamwe hinting that the contest carries more weight than a mere friendly.
“This will not just be a friendly. We have handed over our national frustrations to Yanga. They will defend Tanzania’s pride against Bandari,” he told a local Tanzanian radio station.
Yanga are preparing for the 2025/26 season with an eye on a historic fifth consecutive Mainland Premier League title and another Federation Cup.
However, with rivals Simba SC and Azam FC strengthening their squads, and former Yanga coach Miguel Gamondi now at Singida Black Stars, the Jangwani Street side are bracing for stiffer competition.
For the Dockers of Bandari, today’s clash is more than ceremonial.
The Dockers will use the match to test their new signings and fine-tune their tactics as they seek to make a strong statement in the FKFPL after inconsistent campaigns in recent years.
The team had been camping in Kajiado County before departing for Tanzania.
They were initially expected to travel on 30 August for a pre-season camp, but rescheduled their plans to align with the Mwananchi Day showdown.
