Confusion surrounds women in sport congress

Calistus Kolantsho | Friday February 3, 2017 13:46

Some of the members have not been invited to the congress reportedly planned for Kenya in May.

International Working Group (IWG)-Africa representative, Matilda Mwaba told Mmegi Sport from Lusaka, Zambia that they are against the manner in which the congress is being planned.

She said the agreement was that the AWISA constitution is reviewed first before the congress is held.

Mwaba said some of the key issues being addressed in the constitution were the electoral structure, the composition of membership and the entire structure of the association.

She said a meeting to adopt the amendments was scheduled for Botswana in July.

“We are surprised that the AWISA secretariat organised an elective congress before the constitution is adopted by the member states. They have not followed the proper procedure. The amended constitution should be used to run the elections,” she said.

Mwaba said despite the new development, some member countries, who include South Africa, Botswana and Tanzania, have not received invitations for the Kenya congress. Mwaba said there was no way elections could be held without the blessing of other members. She said even the nomination process has to be interrogated.

AWISA is made up of women and sport bodies from each African member state. AWISA was the second host of IWG Conference which was held in Windhoek, Namibia in 1998, and AWISA chairperson doubled up as IWG co-chairperson then.

Since 1998, AWISA has had the same chairperson and secretary general, and held only one annual general meeting, which was held in May 2016 in Namibia.

IWG secretary general, Game Mothibi said it is worrisome to see AWISA progressing in the manner which could not benefit African women and girls in sport.

“The constitution task team has failed to send the revised constitution to Africa Women and sport bodies for corrections and their inputs.

This did not happen despite several attempts from my office and from the AU representative,” Mothibi said.

Furthermore, Mothibi said they have not received any communication on the changes but they have heard the congress is being planned for Kenya.

“I think there were going to be people ready to lead AWISA from Botswana, but since things have changed and now the congress is coming earlier than planned, I am not sure how ready they are and if they are even aware of the changes,” she added.