September 14 could mark a watershed moment for the BFA). The mother body heads to the polls to elect a new leadership, with emotions already rapidly rising.
In scenes reminiscent of the build-up to the 2020 elections, some members are accusing the current administration of unfairly flexing its muscles to muzzle opponents.
On the eve of the elections five years ago, presidential candidates, Ookeditse Malesu and Tebogo Sebego were vetted out, which left incumbent, Maclean Letshwiti as the sole runner.
After a public outcry and appeals from the affected candidates, the decision was reversed, paving the way for a three-man contest.
It was a close race between Sebego and Letshwiti as Malesu fell at the first hurdle. Like in 2016, the two went for a second round to determine the winner. Letshwiti emerged victorious with Sebego immediately indicating he was throwing in the towel.
But almost five years later, Sebego has declared his intentions of taking on Letshwiti for the third time, in a move that appears to have riled the authorities. Since January, Sebego has been on the radar of authorities at Lekidi Football Centre who are baying for his blood.
Sebego has argued there is a deliberate attempt to elbow him out of the race. He has already faced charges of misconduct and yesterday, he was again hauled before the Disciplinary Committee. Sources predict Sebego will be hit with a lengthy suspension from football that will rule him out of the running. Additionally, critics say the electoral rules have been deliberately designed to favour the incumbent, with opponents being forced by the wayside.
Officials at Lekidi have argued that indiscipline should not be tolerated and therefore individuals should bear the full brunt of their actions. However, there have been question marks over how the wheels of justice selectively turn at Lekidi Centre.
“There is no justice for all. It is selective justice, which makes it too apparent what will happen next. All the charges and the likely action against the president’s opponents are almost predictable,” a source sympathetic to Sebego said.
But if Letshwiti’s opponents foresaw the strategy, why then would they continue to play into the trap? Some ask.
The Palapye rebellion in December, which has heightened along the way, has given the leadership at the BFA every reason to continually crack the whip. This week, three officials, Godfrey Ratlhaga, Lame Makache, and Sebego appeared before the disciplinary body over charges of misconduct.
However the trial concludes, it will likely to add further fuel to the already raging inferno ahead of the elections. Letshwiti, who initially stood on a promise of serving one term in 2016, appears keen to tighten his grip on power as his opponents lie on the floor writhing in agony. More twists and turns in the coming days are expected, but predictions are that Letshwiti will canter to victory amidst cries of an uneven contesting surface.
