Troubled BAA breaches constitution
Mosah Mokganedi | Wednesday March 12, 2014 12:48
The BAA constitution says that if half the committee members resign, the remaining officers should step down immediately. The BAA secretariat must take over and call elections within 21 days from the day the executive committee is dissolved.
However, nothing has happened since the resignation of secretary general Gilbert Keakantse, his deputy, Virginia Staddon, treasurer, Brian Kemotho Mosweu and additional member, Kenneth Kikwe.
BAA spokesperson, Ipolokeng Ramatshaba, has said he is aware that they have breached the constitution. But he defended the breach saying they have competitions to organise.
He said they will not leave office and they will ask for intervention from the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC). He said they are aware that the International Athletics Association (IAAF) could take action against BAA but they hopeful of a quick resolution of the matter. Former official, Kikwe said he left because the committee did not work as a team.
“It is simple. If you are a team and cannot work together, the best thing is to leave,” he told Mmegi Sport yesterday. He said for a long time, he has been complaining to fellow members but nothing has changed.
Kikwe was the organiser of competitions in the north region. He said that sometimes, competitions planned for the north were moved to the south without his knowledge. Hence, he decided to step down because people in the region felt he was failing them. Efforts to talk to other resigned members were futile at press time.
BAA has been riddled with problems and for a long time, the executive committee and some affiliates were involved in a power tussle over the fate of the association’s president.
The affiliates wanted the president Thari Mooketsi to step down. In an Ordinary General Meeting last year, the affiliates wanted to pass a motion of no confidence in the president but the executive committee would not allow them to do so.
At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) affiliates were finally granted their wish but failed to get the required numbers.