Gunners calls off elections ahead of AGM

Kabelo Boranabi | Friday July 24, 2020 16:55

 

Gunners calls off elections ahead of AGM

For the first time in history only a handful of supporters will be allowed at the meeting, as only four representatives per supporters’ branch will attend. This is due to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions.

The current committee was voted into power last November on an interim basis after the ousting of the Tariq Babitseng-led administration. The interim committee’s tenure ends this weekend, as per the club’s constitution.

The club was set to go for the polls but due to COVID-19 it has moved to postpone the elections.

“We will not go for elections this weekend because the government does not allow mass gatherings due to COVID-19 pandemic. Our constitution stipulates that elections could only be held if there is a two-thirds quorum of the club’s general membership,” Gunners’ communications manager, Gerald Mahumba told Mmegi Sport.

“But going into this meeting surely we will not make numbers as stated by the constitution. So this means the interim committee will continue serving. Elections are a very sensitive component and should be treated with caution. We will wait until things get to normal before we can go for polls.”

He said one of the burning issues to be discussed over the weekend is the high number of creditors that have come forward claiming their dues from the club.

Mahumba said the club has been battling financial problems for a while and will turn to the general membership for solutions.

“We have people who have come forward claiming that the club owes them. It is the nature of football we cannot hide away from that, our office has been flooded with those kinds of issues. Mind you, we are still dealing with COVID-19 implications and money has always been a problem at Gunners.”

“I am not in a position to disclose anything on the people who claim that they are owed by the club at the moment. These are the issues we will discuss with the membership over the weekend. We have invited the district and town leadership for the meeting. This is a way [in which] we [are] trying to sell the club to the business community of Lobatse. We are struggling with funds and we hope this will be a perfect platform for us to sell ourselves to [the] corporate world as we move toward privatising the club,” Mahumba said.

Earlier this year, the club was rocked by a fraud scandal where supporters were swindled of money by fraudsters claiming to sell policies through a said partnership with Hollard Life Botswana.

“Hollard has denied engaging anyone to use the club’s name. This is a serious matter; it soils the club’s image. We should guard against that. We are heading toward corporate governance and supporters should know their role in helping us move towards privatisation,” Mahumba said.