Back in the day, Ali Salim Manga rivalled the regional influence of Leonard Mambo Mbotela and Salim Mbonde of Radio Tanzania. His football commentary was well-researched and when coupled with his fluency and eloquence in Kiswahili, he was a darling of thousands of football radio listeners in East and Central Africa.
His articulation in the description of players and the general atmosphere in tensioned-packed matches earned him a huge following.