ZANZIBAR, May 29 -- AFTER Tanzania won the right to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) alongside Kenya and Uganda, the immediate focus was naturally on stadiums, training grounds and football itself.

And, in Zanzibar, the government appears to understand a deeper reality about modern sports tournaments: successful hosting is no longer defined only by what happens inside the stadium. It is equally about roads, airports, drainage systems, urban mobility and the overall visitor experience.

That is why the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibars decision to allocate 269bn/- for the construction of 63.8 kilometres of roads linking Zanzibar Town to the planned Fumba Sports City may ultimately become one of the most consequential inv...