By Emmanuel Muga BBC Sport, Dar es Salaam

James Siang'a who turned down the job of Tanzania coach

Former Zambia coach Patrick Phiri has been appointed as coach of Tanzania's national team.

The Zambian will guide Tanzania at the East African championship, the Cecafa Cup, which is set to take place in Rwanda in December.

Phiri is currently coaching Tanzanian champions Simba, and wants to combine his current post with his new job with the Taifa Stars.

"I have been in talks with the federation's officials and I have accepted the offer to coach the national team," Phiri told BBC Sport on Friday.

"I am now consulting with Simba officials first before starting the work."

The Tanzanian league is currently in its off-season and does not restart until early next year, while the national side are not involved in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

They refused to help me get my money and now they are turning to me for help to coach the national team James Siang'a

Phiri was named as coach on Friday by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) after the body failed in its bid to recruit Kenyan James Siang'a.

Siang'a was named as coach on Thursday but turned down the offer because the TFF had refused to help him secure money owed to him by Simba.

The Kenyan was due reimbursement for his role in guiding the club to the group stages of last year's African Champions League.

"They refused to help me get my money and now they are turning to me for help to coach the national team - is it acceptable?" Siang'a asked.

Siang'a, who is currently coaching Tanzanian premier league side Moro United, added that it would look bad to accept the Taifa Stars job after he had refused to coach his country's national team.

Kenya appointed Siang'a recently to take charge of Harambee Stars but he turned the offer, down citing club commitments.