It's no secret that Tanzanian football star Mbwana Samatta is a journeyman. But, perhaps what is less known about him is how deeply pious he is. He once bought a plot of land intending to build a luxurious mansion, and ended up building a mosque there instead. “I realised there wasn't a mosque nearby and many would walk kilometres to go and pray. Well, I could drive to the neighbouring mosque, but not many of my neighbours could,” Samatta explains.
He speaks in a calm, composed, and reflective manner, and hardly finishes a sentence without invoking the name of God. His fear of his creator, he says, is what keeps him grounded, despite all his success. Although widely regarded as Tanzania's richest footballer and one of East Africa's wealthiest athletes, given his massive football earnings in Europe, Samatta has resisted the flashy lifestyle often associated with modern football stars.
"It's my personality. I'm naturally humble, and I like to talk less," he says. A quick look at his Instagram page, which has more than 2.6 million followers, tells a similar story. You won't find the usual trappings of fame—no endless posts of luxury holidays, designer shopping sprees, yacht parties, nightclubs or private jets. His feed is dominated by what he loves most—football. Most of the photos show him in training or wearing his club's jersey rather than his lifestyle.
Two weeks ago, the 33-year-old officially brought the curtain down on his international career, announcing his retirement from Tanzania's national team after 15 years of service, with a decade as Taifa Stars captain. Samatta said it was the right time to step aside and allow a new generation of players to carry the team's ambitions forward.
Under his leadership, Tanzania qualified for three Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournaments, helping restore the country's place on the continental stage. At club level, Samatta has also carved out a place in East African football history. In 2020, he became the second East African to play in the prestigious and world's most popular league, the English Premier League, after former Kenya captain Victor Wanyama, when he joined Aston Villa from Belgian side Genk in an £8.5 million ($11.34 million) transfer deal.
Joining an EPL side at the age of 27 was the last of his expectations, although it was one of his major dreams. He recalls how the move developed and how the news left him ecstatic.
"The Aston Villa move happened around midnight, and it caught me completely by surprise. I had just come off a very good season with Genk, so I expected offers from clubs in Germany or Spain. But I never imagined a Premier League club would come calling. Playing in the Premier League had always been my dream. But getting that opportunity is not as easy as many people think, especially for players from our part of the world. That's why I could not believe it when the call from Aston Villa came."
At some point, Samatta was worried that the deal would collapse. “When the offer came, I told my agent I was going to sign it. I didn't have to think twice.
The only issue was if Genk would reach an agreement with Aston Villa. The club felt they were in a stronger position to negotiate for a favourable transfer deal because I still had a long contract with them. Naturally, that situation had me worried that Aston Villa might walk away if Genk presented difficult terms. Luckily, Genk's terms were reasonable.”
Although he signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Aston Villa, Samatta's spell in England never quite took off. He made 16 appearances, scored two goals, and did not complete a full Premier League season. Having joined Villa in January 2020, he was sent on a season-long loan to Turkish giants Fenerbahçe in September the same year. Reflecting on his short stay in the EPL, Samatta believes his struggles had less to do with his own performances and more with the circumstances at the club.
"When I arrived, Aston Villa were fighting to avoid relegation. We were struggling to get results. To survive, the team changed its style of play and adopted a defensive style. As a striker, that makes it very difficult to prove yourself because you get fewer chances to score. If you go back to that season, we drew many games, and even the matches that we won usually ended 1-0," he explains.
Like most footballers, the journeyman who has seen his football career take him from African Lyon, to Simba, then to TP Mazembe in DR Congo, Fenerbahçe in Turkiye, Royal Antwerp and Genk in Belgium, PAOK in Greece, Aston Villa in England and now in Le Havre in France, is superstitious. “I am superstitious when it comes to matches. I never start any game without a new pair of shoes. I will not train with the boots. And should I score, I will then use those boots for every single game until they're worn out. And if I don't score, then I will never use those boots again,” he says.
Despite being one of East Africa's wealthiest footballers, Samatta says he has never felt the need to live a showy and flashy lifestyle like many of his peers. "It's just not in my nature to be showy. Yes, I am successful, but why should I feel the urge to show off? I am grateful for everything God has blessed me with. He has given me more than I ever wished to own, but I have never been a flashy person. I don't hide what I have but neither do I feel the need to put it on display.”
Celebrities usually defend their actions that they do so under the pretext that they do so to motivate those who follow them. But to Samatta, this never adds up. “I don’t believe showing off motivates anyone. Someone somewhere could be praying for some little money to buy food, while you are busy displaying your wealth, your cars, and everything else. I always wonder how such a person feels when they see that.”
His outlook explains why he has no problem flying economy class, even though one of the ambitions he harbours is owning a private jet. “But it’s not something I must have. I would only buy one if it became truly necessary,” he says.
Samatta credits part of this mindset to Tanzanian business tycoon Said Salim Bakhresa, know for his low-profile lifestyle. Despite being one of Tanzania's richest men, Bakhresa is known for shunning unnecessary public attention and living modestly. "Despite all his success, Bakhresa lives a very humble life, yet people are always curious about how much he is worth. Those are the kinds of people I look up to. They are role models, and I try to learn from them."
Samatta’s first-ever fat cheque came when he signed up for Simba SC, pocketing a Tsh7.5 million ($5,200) signing-on fee. "That was the first time I handled a lot of money. I never rushed to use it, not even a shilling. I had it all stashed in my bank account. I would then use the money to buy a piece of land and build my first house, a modest three-bedroom house, but the project stalled because I ran out of money. I only managed to complete it after I was 'sold' to TP Mazembe in DR Congo in 2011 and signed a better contract. I later sold both the house and the plot," he recalls.
Unlike many rich people who rely on financial advisers and wealth managers to oversee their investments, Samatta prefers to manage his finances. "I don't have any special formula for managing money. The only way I know is to stay humble and have the fear of God. That is enough. Humility keeps you grounded. It helps you see things clearly and make good decisions. Besides, I have never been an extravagant person. I don't buy something simply because I can afford it. I only buy it when I genuinely need it."
That same philosophy extends to his social life, which explains why he is a teetotaller and has never been drawn to nightlife. "I have never seen a reason to spend my nights in clubs popping champagne. I have never been able to justify that kind of spending. I know many of my peers do it to unwind or celebrate, but I have never seen the logic in it,” he argues. In his mind, there is no value in such uncalled-for celebrations.
"What value is there in buying expensive bottles other than trying to show people how rich you are? I don't need to prove my success to anyone. For many players who enjoy that lifestyle, there are always people around them expecting free drinks, food, and entertainment. Before you know it, you are spending huge amounts of money just to keep everyone happy in the name of having a good time."
It is that very same perspective that guides how he is raising his three children, who are now approaching their teenage years. More than anything, he says, he wants them to grow into independent adults capable of building lives and fortunes of their own, rather than relying on the wealth he has accumulated through football.
"My greatest wish is for my children to become responsible, independent people who can earn their own money and create their own wealth without constantly thinking about mine. Of course, I am giving them the best life I possibly can, but that does not mean they should grow up believing I will take care of them forever. They must understand that building wealth is a process. They can never assume that because their father has some wealth, then it automatically belongs to them. They have to create their own. I will never allow them to think making money is easy,” he says. "I hope that when I finally retire, I will enjoy the wealth I worked hard to build, without depending on my children to take care of me in old age.”
That is why, despite being able to afford it, Samatta says he would never buy his teenage child a car simply because they wanted one and he can afford it. "The only time I would consider it is if I am convinced they genuinely need it to advance what they are working on. They would have to show me that the car is a tool to help them grow their business or pursue something meaningful, not just something they want because their father has money. If they came to me with that kind of proposal, then I would certainly consider it."
At 33, Samatta knows the final days of his playing career are drawing closer. While he still has unfinished business on the pitch, he has also begun thinking about life after football. One of his biggest wishes is to return home before retiring and spend his final years playing in the Tanzanian league.
