KINONDONI Municipal Council (KMC) FC have confirmed the departure of head coach Abdihamid Moallin, who is set to join Tanzanian Premier League giants Young Africans as an assistant coach.

KINONDONI Municipal Council (KMC) FC have confirmed the departure of head coach Abdihamid Moallin, who is set to join Tanzanian Premier League giants Young Africans as an assistant coach. 

Moallin (pictured), who took the helm at KMC in July 2023, led the team to a respectable fifth-place finish last season. However, inconsistencies in KMC’s current season performance had fueled speculation about Moallin’s future with the club.

This will mark Moallin’s third Premier League team in Tanzania, having previously managed Azam FC. His departure comes after over a year in charge at KMC, with KMC board member and Kinondoni Mayor Songoro Mnyonge addressing Moallin’s exit in detail.

Mnyonge disclosed that Moallin’s last training session with KMC took place on Monday and highlighted various reasons Moallin cited for leaving. 

According to Mnyonge, Moallin’s departure was attributed to personal interests and perceived issues within the club’s leadership. 

However, Mnyonge disputed several claims made by Moallin, including allegations of interference in coaching decisions, dissatisfaction among players regarding new signings, and delayed salary payments.

“I’ve seen claims made by Moallin that simply aren’t true. We never interfered with his coaching decisions and provided him with the resources he needed,” said Mnyonge. 

“His statements about player dissatisfaction with new signings are also false. Although he didn’t have input in the first round of signings, he was involved in the second round, with some players being his own recommendations.”

Mnyonge acknowledged some delays in salary payments, which he attributed to government system issues, as well as a delay in providing Moallin with a promised vehicle, despite the coach having a car available for use. 

Mnyonge suggested that Young Africans’ offer, which likely included better incentives, was a key factor in Moallin’s decision to leave KMC.

Moallin’s contract with KMC stipulated a one-year term with a requirement of one month’s notice for departure. 

KMC officials believe that Young Africans bypassed protocol by not informing them of their interest in Moallin, leading the club to consider potential legal action against both Moallin and Young Africans for breach of contract.

“We agreed to release Moallin, but Young Africans’ handling of the situation was unprofessional,” stated Mnyonge. “They should have formally contacted us to discuss his transfer, as Moallin was still under contract with KMC.”

Moallin’s departure follows a mixed start to the season for KMC, who currently sit in seventh place in the Tanzanian Premier League with 14 points from 11 matches. 

His move to Young Africans marks his third Premier League role in Tanzania, having previously managed Azam FC from July 2021 to August 2022 before joining KMC in July 2023.

The KMC board is now in discussions to decide on the next steps and to identify a suitable replacement for Moallin as the club seeks to stabilize and continue its campaign in the Tanzanian Premier League.