Shikalo: How I beat travel ban and found my way back to Tanzania
Harambee Stars goalkeeper Farouk Shikalo likened his recent journey from Kenya to Tanzania in the midst of a government-imposed travel ban to the “stuff movies are made of.”
Shikalo, who turns out for Yanga SC in Tanzania, made the eventful journey by road from Mombasa to Nairobi, then to Namanga where he crossed over to Tanzania.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
Shikalo further revealed that his entire journey from his home in Mombasa to Dar es Salaam was facilitated by government officials of the two countries.
“Safari yangu kurejea Bongo ilikuwa ni kama movie, maana hakukuwa na ndege inayopaa kutoka Kenya kutokana na anga kufungwa kwa tishio la virusi vya Corona,” Shikalo narrated to Global TV Online.
“Hivyo ilinilazimu nivuke kutoka Mombasa mpaka Namanga. Nilisaidiwa na kiongozi fulani wa pale Mombasa, District Officer ndiye aliyenitoa huko mpaka Nairobi, tulipita naye mipaka yote hadi Nairobi. Kufika Nairobi nikachukuliwa na afisa mmoja anafanya kazi Namanga akanileta mpaka kule,” Shikalo said.
FLIGHT TO DAR
From Namanga, the District Commissioner of Ameru Jerry Muro, under whose jurisdiction the border falls, facilitated his travel to Arusha.
Shikalo spent the night in Arusha and the following day, in the company of Muro, he travelled to Moshi where he boarded a plane to Dar es Salaam.
Football season in Tanzania had been put on hold due to Coronavirus but President John Magufuli recently gave a green light for the league. A few days ago President Magufuli declared his country coronavirus free.