Did Kelebeng put the cart before the horse ?

Mqondisi Dube | Tuesday February 17, 2026 08:16

It hasn't happened quite often since 2019 when the then sports minister, Tshekedi Khama forced chairperson, Solly Reikeletseng to quit. Kelebeng 'fired' the board citing failure to align with his vision. The action, while dramatic, underscores growing unease about governance and strategic direction at the body tasked with overseeing sport development in the country.

The dissolution comes at a critical juncture for local sport. The BNSC, as the apex sports authority in the country, carries the responsibility of coordinating national sport associations and ensuring that Botswana remains competitive on regional and global stages.

While the minister’s intervention may be justified on performance grounds, it also prompts reflection on timing. Ideally, the board should have been dissolved earlier, specifically before the appointment of the current chief executive officer, Olebile Sikwane.

Kelebeng has been in office for 15 months, which should have afforded him time to make an assessment of the board within those months. The CEO appointment shapes BNSC's operational and strategic direction for years to come.

If there were already clear signs of dysfunction or underperformance within the board, decisive action prior to the CEO appointment should have been taken.

Appointing a chief executive officer is amongst the most consequential decisions any board can make. It sets the tone for governance, accountability and organisational culture. If the board’s performance was already in question, allowing it to proceed with such a critical appointment could then throw the whole situation into disarray.

Unless the minister tells us that the board had little influence in picking the CEO. Otherwise why allow the board to pick and even induct the CEO before it is shown the door.

An earlier dissolution could have enabled a newly constituted board to take ownership of the recruitment process and align the executive leadership with a refreshed strategic vision.

There are also whispers that the decision to dissolve the board could be 'political' such that the board aligns with the ruling UDC government's vision.

There is no credible evidence to suggest that the minister’s decision was driven by malice or personal grievance as the removed board members could actually belong to different political formations.

Available information indicates that the move was anchored in concerns about vision alignment.

But what is key is that the board should be in sync with the minister's (and critically the overall sport) vision and this should have been apparent in Kelebeng's early stages so that decisive action is taken.

It is the nation's hope that the incoming board will not only tick the political patronage box but will, crucially be appointed on merit. Meritocracy has been at the centre of President Duma Boko's mantra and the expectation is that this will be the guiding tool in the appointment of the new board.

Sport has become an increasingly important avenue for youth empowerment and economic. Failure to deliver tangible progress can no longer be tolerated and all the sports business starts at BNSC level.

The challenge now lies in what follows. Dissolution alone will not solve structural weaknesses. The minister must ensure that the incoming board is composed of individuals with demonstrable expertise in sports administration. Stability and clear performance targets will be critical to rebuilding trust.

The dissolution of the BNSC Board should serve as a turning point rather than a setback. If handled with transparency and foresight, the dissolution may prove to be the reset that Botswana sport urgently needs.

And minister Kelebeng knows the many men and women of clout that Botswana is blessed with, who are ready to drive forward not just his vision but the larger, overarching sport mandate.