By PETER DUBE

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Every cloud has a silver lining. Since their formation in 1935 Young Africans, or Yanga, have, by any measure, grown to become Tanzania’s most decorated club.

Their Dar derby against archrivals Simba SC is one of the most anticipated club fixture in the region, and indeed the continent.

But something happened in 2016 that almost saw the demise of the beloved Jangwani club before they rose like a phoenix from the ashes to the new, refreshing heights they enjoy today.

Financial troubles struck, leaving the team unable to pay salaries or attract top talent. The club's once-bright future seemed to dim. For years, Timu ya Wananchi, or the People’s Team, as they are affectionately known, had depended on the financial backing of the late business tycoon Yusuf Manji.

Manji, once a prominent figure in Dar es Salaam’s business community and recognised as one of Africa's wealthiest individuals, faced a series of legal challenges around 2016. That tarnished his reputation, sort of.

Before his challenges, the founder of Quality Group Limited (QGL) had built an impressive $700 million conglomerate with interests in diverse sectors, such as automobiles, real estate, facilities, and export trade.

But then authorities started looking into his taxes...

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