Katisenge-Tizhani takes WASBO top seat
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday October 28, 2023 06:00
She was with BCF executive between 2008 and 2017 when she became one of the youngest public relations officers. Now Katisenge-Tizhani has made the step further up the ladder, taking over the leadership of Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO), succeeding Matlho Kgosi.
She also serves as vice president-Africa of The Association For International Sport For All (TAFISA) vice president. Speaking to MmegiSport, Katisenge-Tizhani, 38, said her new WASBO position is an opportunity to make a difference.
“It is also an opportunity to utilise my international board membership to the advantage and benefit of the agenda of women in sport in Botswana. At TAFISA, we have international partners and sponsors.
I feel like sometimes when we look for sponsors we concentrate locally and we do not go beyond borders to look for sponsorships and collaborations. This will be a chance for us to do that,” she said. Before her new role, she was WASBO Gaborone region chairperson before serving as the national secretary-general. Katisenge-Tizhani said WASBO is made up of regions, which serve as foot soldiers and emphasised that the organisation is not meant only for Gaborone. She said when they talk about the girl-child, they do not only refer to a girl-child who stays in urban areas with access to facilities but even a child in rural areas struggling to access resources.
“What I find interesting is that at TAFISA we talk about sport for all and I feel like sometimes when we talk about women in sport and the advantages of participating in sport, we largely concentrate on athletes and administrators.
We do not include a girl or woman who does not want to take part in competitive sport but to take part in sport for leisure or health purposes,” she said. Reflecting on the days when she was still BCF spokesperson, Katisenge-Tizhani said chess has moulded her into a leader in sport and as a professional.
“I was still young when I joined chess administration. I feel like the amount of work we were doing in chess and the amount of strategic initiatives we were not doing things just for the sake of doing them. Everything that we did, we had to think creatively,” she said. Katisenge-Tizhani, who is also the 2019 Mandela Fellow and YALI influencer, said they had to differentiate chess from other codes.
She said after conducting an assessment of other sporting codes, she realised that the Botswana Football Association (BFA) was strong. She said they had to package chess in a way to start competing for back pages in newspapers with football. Katisenge-Tizhani said the creativity and level of strategic thinking they applied at chess are the same that she applies as a professional.
“I know leading women's sport is not going to be easy. It is a broad mandate even though you might think that we are focusing on women and girls. We have to make an impact in different ways; there are also women and girls with disabilities. They should be incorporated into our mandate. We have to make an impact not only nationally, but internationally,” she said.
Filling Kgosi’s shoes is an honour for Katisenge-Tizhani as she lights up when she talks about her predecessor. “It is such an honour, a privilege when you look at the previous WASBO chairpersons. They are women of virtue, women with exceptional leadership qualities and I feel honoured to take over from the foundation they have laid.
I have worked with Mma Kgosi for two consecutive terms under WASBO, at Gaborone region and when I served as her secretary-general. I learnt a lot from her as a leader. Stepping into her shoes, they are big shoes to fill, with the guidance she has given us, we will manage,” she said. Katisenge-Tizhani said the support she receives from her husband is amazing.
“I did not want to continue with WASBO but he encouraged me to carry on. He felt that I would be leaving my legacy half-cooked. His support makes me deliver,” she said. Katisenge-Tizhani intends to hit the ground running, with the immediate assignment being to find a sponsor for the WASBO special award that was initially sponsored by Sprint Couriers.
“The company has informed us that due to financial challenges, they will not continue as a sponsor. We must find a sponsor for the award,” she said. Katisenge-Tizhani said they are going into a big partnership with TAFISA and Nike. She explained that the project will empower coaches and athletes under the Nike sponsorship. She added that it is the first international sponsorship.
WASBO executive committee: Nozie Malunga-Payet (vice chairperson), Olebogeng Oitebetse (secretary-general), Thulaganyo Retshabile (marketing and publicity), treasurer to be co-opted.
Other representatives from stakeholders in the WASBO executive committee: Gloria Gaosikelwe (SVM representative), and Joyce Madome (regional chairpersons representative). Ministry of Youth, Sport, Gender and Culture, Botswana National Olympic Committee, and Gender department representatives are yet to be confirmed.