Muguna dismisses juju claims in Tanzanian football

© Kenneth Muguna

FOOTBALL Muguna dismisses juju claims in Tanzanian football

Festus Chuma 15:00 - 16.06.2023

The 27-year-old next destination is still unclear, but a return to Gor Mahia could revive his career after a disappointing at Azam FC.

Kenyan midfielder Kenneth Muguna, who recently played for Tanzanian Premier League side Azam FC, has denied the existence of juju, or black magic, in Tanzanian football. 

In an interview with renowned journalist Fred Arocho, Muguna emphasized his belief in talent and hard work as the driving forces behind success on the field.

Muguna's comments come in response to rumors and speculations regarding the use of juju in Tanzanian football, a topic that has sparked debates and controversies in the past. 

The talented Harambee Stars midfielder made it clear that he had never witnessed any instances of juju during his time in Tanzania and firmly stated that he would never partake in such practices.

"I don't know if there is juju in Tanzanian football because I have never witnessed it, and I can never do it," Muguna affirmed. "I believe in talent and hard work."

Having spent two seasons playing for Azam FC, Muguna also provided insights into the differences between the Kenyan and Tanzanian Premier Leagues. 

The former Gor Mahia captain acknowledged that the Tanzanian Premier League currently holds an advantage over its Kenyan counterpart due to the repercussions of a FIFA ban that affected the Kenyan league.

"As of now, the Tanzania Premier League is better than ours due to the fact that the FIFA ban affected the Kenyan league," explained Muguna.

The ban imposed on Football Kenya Federation due to alleged government interference had a detrimental impact on the development and organization of Kenyan football.

Furthermore, Muguna shed light on the financial aspect of playing in the NBC-sponsored league, praising prompt and regular payments made by clubs in Tanzania.

"In terms of payments, the club there pays well, and I never heard, during my two-year stay, of a club that does not pay players on time," Muguna disclosed. 

The 27-year-old Muguna left Azam at the end of the Tanzanian top-flight season, having joined the club in July 2021.

He joined the Ice Cream Makers from record-Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, a club he had joined from FK Tirana of Albania.

He had previously played for Western Stima, where he won the 2016 KPL Player of the Year Award.