By Emmanuel Muga BBC Sport, Dar-es- Salaam

Maulid insists he is Tanzanian

Former international Said Maulid has started legal proceedings against the Tanzanian government in an attempt to regain his citizenship.

The 23 year-old, through his lawyer Julius Ndyanabo, is demanding that the court reverses the government's decision.

Maulid also asked the court to allow him resume his domestic club career with Yanga SC, pending the determination of the court case.

Maulid lost his Tanzanian nationality in July 2002, after the immigration department declared that he was a DR Congo national.

He was subsequently disqualified from the national team and ordered to possess a Congolese passport before he could resume his club career with Yanga.

These demands angered him into declaring that he was quitting football in order to become a fisherman.

But Maulid changed his mind after his supporters advised him to take legal action.

"Many people sympathised with me after announcing that I was going into fishing," he told BBC Sport.

"The well-wishers advised me to go to court instead of wasting my talent, which I accepted to do."

Yanga official Jamal Malinzi said the club will pay Maulid's legal costs.

"Yanga won't allow him to be a fisherman," Malinzi said.

"We are footing the legal bills and will also offer whatever assistance he needs to get out of this," he added.