In 2000, President Benjamin Mkapa promised to build a state of the art stadium before the end of his tenure in 2005; saying that it was shameful for the country not to have a modern arena.

Under pressure from the Bretton Woods Institutions, Tanzania reluctantly abandoned the project as it had received debt relief under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Program.

[9] The International Monetary Fund objected that the cost had not been included in the country's annual Public Expenditure Review to its major donors.

[11] In September 2007, the stadium hosted the Group 7 qualifying match between Taifa Stars and the Mozambican team for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

[12] The stadium also hosted the first EPL team match in the African continent when Everton played Kenya's Gor Mahia on July 13, 2017.

[17] It has five main entrances, a car park for 600 vehicles, 114 closed-circuit television cameras, a VIP lounge and an extendable roof.