Letshwiti won't barge…
…as BFA president rejects calls to step down
Botswana Football Association President Maclean Letshwiti says he will not be forced out of his seat at the Association,despite the elapsing of his mandatory term at Lekidi. Letshwiti who is the incumbent president of BFA said this following a recent challenge from his rivals Tebogo Sebego and Ookeditse Malesu. The two BFA presidential hopefuls put on a spirited offensive manouver to remove Letshwiti from office.
Sebego and Malesu recently wrote a rather damning and strong worded letter to the football governing body FIFA, requesting that the astute
businessman and the National Executive Committee be removed from office and pave way for an interim committee pending elections since their four year term has already elapsed. The BFA Annual General Assembly has been postponed indifinately due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Through the details of the letter addressed to FIFA Secretary General Fatima Samoura, both Malesu and Sebego,claim that the outgoing NEC continues to take binding decisions which might not resonate with the aspirations of the incoming NEC.
Further, the letter argued that the outgoing NEC continues to create financial obligations for the BFA and spends more funds and resources beyond their four year mandate.
In an interview this week BFA Presidential hopeful, Tebogo Sebego said Letshwiti and the NEC are abusing the BFA office for political gain; he added that they are hopeful that they will soon get a positive response from FIFA.
Reached for comment on the matter , a cool and calm Letshwiti said the situation is not only in Botswana as it has affected about seven other countries in Africa. “This is not just a situation for us and it’s not a situation we can control, it’s not only peculiar to Botswana but many other countries are affected.”
He said football shall continue and noted that there is no need for an interim committee as his two rivals suggest. “That will cause a lot of haphazard activities looking at what is currently going on in local football, we cannot call in an interim committee to run football,” he argued.
He said his rivals are however entitled to complain and run their complaints with FIFA; he added that as of now the only remedy to the situation is to host the elections which is currently not possible.
“There are many regulations governing us, which are imposed by government and we cannot disobey them anyhow.
The only remedy to the current situation is the elections, the state of emergency is ending very soon so we are still to know if we would be able to go to the polls.”
Through a letter from FIFA, signed by Chief Member Associations Officer,Veron Mosego-Ombaand addressed to President Letshwiti back in May, FIFA granted the BFA permission to postpone the elections citing the Covid-19 restrictions on gatherings.
Moreover, the letter stated that the postponement of the BFA elections is not incidental on the mandate of the incumbent executive committee which shall remain in office until elections are held.
It remains to be seen if FIFA will reverse its decision and appoint an interim committee or back Letshwiti in this epic battle.