DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 9 -- THERE was something almost more disappointing than Tanzanias elimination from the Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers: the number of empty seats at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.

Tanzanias national teams have millions of potential supporters across the country, and football remains deeply rooted in our society.

Yet, for some time now, the atmosphere surrounding national-team matches has failed to reflect that passion.

The latest example came when Tanzania faced Kenya in the second leg of the Under-23 AFCON qualifier at Uhuru Stadium.

The hosts produced a spirited performance, winning 3-1, but it was not enough to overturn Kenyas 4-1 first-leg advantage. Kenya advanced 5-4 on aggregate. What w...