Kikwete paid a courtesy visit to the team’s camp at Filbert Bay Secondary School on Tuesday.
Queens are the defending champions of the championship, but Kikwete believes it is time Tanzania made a mark as one of the top netball teams on the continent by getting the honours.
Accompanied by the wife of the country’s prime minister Tunu Pinda, Kikwete expressed satisfaction with the team’s preparations, according to www.ippmedia.com
She said the team stands a chance to excel in the tournament basing on the quality of its players and the gravity of their preparations.
Kikwete insisted on the players of the team to adhere to the training programme while maintaining discipline to build up team spirit and cooperation among them, the coach and officials.
“We have a good team comprising formidable players who stand a chance to send the rest of the visiting teams back to their homes empty-handed,†she said.
According to Pinda, who is the chairperson of the tournament’s organising committee, the netball association has in excess of 77 million shillings raised to cater for the championship.
She said the money was raised from companies and other well-wishers, notably CRDB Bank, Serengeti Breweries, Vodacom and others.
So far, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and hosts Tanzania have confirmed to participate at the event.
Tanzania national netball team coach Marry Protas and her technical staff have agreed to maintain the 16 players currently at the camp.
Tanzania are ranked 22 in the World whereas Queens are fifth.
Meanwhile, Queens coach Griffin Saenda has said he will name his 12-player squad for the trip tomorrow ahead of departure on Sunday.
Queens won the 2010 edition of the championship staged in Tanzania, under Edith Kaliati.
The tournament is sanctioned by the International Federation of Netball Associations (Ifna) and will be used to rank teams on the world chat.
