The abrupt appointment of Bennett Mamelodi as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Botswana Premier League (BPL) on April Fool's Day did not come without grumbles. Although it has been hailed as a step in the right direction, the nature of the appointment left some questions unanswered.
News broke out last month that the league was considering hiring a CEO. The Premier League office announced last week that the CEO had been appointed for an initial six-month period, which is considered too short. Premier League Committee vice chairman, Spencer Mmui said Mamelodi's appointment was a matter of urgency, hence they had to go ahead despite the financial hurdles. Mmui told Mmegi Sport in an interview yesterday that the league Board of Governors (BoG), comprising club chairpersons, proposed a new administrative structure to the league management committee, which was approved and adopted, paving the way for the appointment of the CEO. He said the CEO's issue was not something new as "it is there in the Botswana Football Association (BFA) constitution" that the Premier League needs a CEO. He said due to budgetary constraints, they were advised to hire the CEO for an initial period of six months while they are still sourcing funds to hire someone on a long-term contract.
