Riveting BFA race heads for first pit stop
Mqondisi Dube | Friday August 21, 2020 13:49
If it were a soccer match, it would have been an end-to-end riveting affair, keeping fans glued to their seats.
Stakes are sky high as the BFA, the custodian of the biggest sport constituency, navigates a rough terrain towards the much anticipated election.
The presidential race has particularly roused interest, even tapping the shoulders of a section of population normally disinterested in sports issues. Incumbent, Maclean Letshwiti faces his predecessor, Tebogo Sebego and former association chief executive officer, Ookeditse Malesu for football’s top post.
While the battles have gained traction in recent weeks, it was long coming.
Sebego had long accused the Letshwiti administration of trying to purge members loyal to his camp, when they took over in 2016.
Authorities at BFA argued it was not a purge, but moves in line with a new culture of corporate governance, which had to be instilled.
The First Division North felt the full wrath of the new regime’s mighty, as they were suspended for failure to account for about P70,000. They contest the charge, and up to date, the case has not been settled.
Sebego rubbed the BFA the wrong way through his social media post, but escaped censure when he criticised the leadership.
Letshwiti remained resolute, arguing he had to put the association back on track. Upon taking over, the Letshwiti committee indicated the BFA was P10million in the red, but has since managed to eat away the bulk of the deficit. However, Sebego recently disputed that the association was in a deficit when he left office in 2016.
The campaign had appeared close to the previous elections in terms of drama.
But there was a sharp twist when the BFA Electoral Committee vetted both Sebego and Malesu out of the presidential contest. It was said the two had fallen short of the integrity test, but the Appeals Committee reversed the decision. Letshwiti washed his hands that he did not influence the decision, which saw the two axed.
He welcomed their reinstatement, arguing he was looking forward to competition.
A close contest has been predicted, particularly between Letshwiti and Sebego, with Malesu considered a dark horse.
Malesu has anchored his campaign on taking the game to the people, indicating during a live presidential debate on Botswana Television on Sunday, that he quit due to the rot within the association.
Malesu lasted less than six months as the head of the secretariat, and was part of Team Letshwiti in the run-up to the 2016 elections.
Letshwiti’s BFA got glowing reviews from FIFA for implementing reforms, which amongst others included women’s football and focus on development.
The incumbent has said a cleaner BFA would attract more sponsors, after the return of the FA Cup, sponsored by Orange. However, there was a reduction in the BTC Premiership, but Absa came on board although the figure did not plug the shortfall.
Letshwiti’s camp has made continuity the key word, pointing, their committee needs more time to implement further reforms.
Sebego has argued, football has slid during the last four years and wants a new broom. He has written to FIFA arguing the tenure of the current committee has lapsed.
But before he received a response from FIFA, the BFA informed delegates the general assembly had been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. BFA is in possession of a later, green-lighting the delaying of elections, and that the committee can remain in place until the assembly is held. It all adds to the intriguing race, where accusations and counter-accusations have been thrown around.
The postponement will allow both camps to take a brief breather, but after the pit stop, the relentless campaign will rumble on.