CRDB BANK ENTERS INTO FIVE YEAR SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH YOUNG AFRICANS FC

CRDB Bank CEO, Charles Kimei (second right) and member of Yanga's Board of Trustees, Mama Fatuma Karume (second left), signing the agreement at the bank's headquarters along Azikiwe Street in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.

Investing in the Mainland Premier League is increasingly becoming a trend for local financial institutions, after CRDB Bank stepped in to enter into a five-year sponsorship deal with Young Africans on Tuesday.

In June, this year, both Simba and Yanga entered into contract with Tanzania Postal Bank (TBP) for the latter to issue membership cards to members of the two clubs.

However, Yanga announced on Tuesday to have terminated the contract with TPB and decided to enter into a similar deal with CRDB Bank, which will issue new membership cards that will also be used in bank transactions. The bank pledged to completely turn around the economic status of the club in five years.

The bank's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Charles Kimei and member of Yanga's Board of Trustees, Mama Fatuma Karume, signed the agreement at the bank's headquarters along Azikiwe Street in Dar es Salaam.

The deal will see CRDB Bank printing Gold Cards, specifically for Yanga members and fans that will be used in all their transactions. He said the service is available nationwide in all CRDB Bank branches.

Kimei said during the official signing of the deal that the cards will cost 8,000/- for existing bank customers who are Yanga members and fans.

He further said that for new customers who are members and fans of the club will be provided with the cards free of charge. To start with, Kimei said the objective is to collect 100,000 subscribers within two months.

He said Yanga members are free to contribute any amount of money for the running of their club, while also encouraging them to take up the opportunity and come forward to pick the cards for the good of their team.

"If Yanga members respond positively by collecting the cards and pay their contributions to the club, no doubt, Yanga could have economic powers similar to that of Manchester United in just five years," said Kimei.

He said he believes Yanga is a great club and command a huge fan base but with a few members. He said it is time for fans to be transformed into formal members and contribute direct to the success of their team.

For her part, Mama Karume, wife of the former president of Zanzibar, the late Abeid Amaan Karume, commended CRDB Bank for helping Yanga in efforts to improve their financial status. She also congratulated the club officials for their efforts to negotiate the deal with the bank.