Ousted BOKA president, Mpho Bakwadi, is not flinching, arguing the SGM was an illegal gathering. He went on to reject a letter written by the interim committee calling for a handover, which was to be completed yesterday. In the letter addressed to interim president, Keorapetse Mogopodi, Bakwadi said their position is that there was no lawfully convened meeting as purported in his (Mogopodi) letter. “Your conduct of unlawful and unauthorised usage of BOKA letterhead in your communication constitutes criminal conduct. We shall accordingly engage the relevant authority to address this forgery,” Bakwadi said. He said they noted the composition at the SGM included suspended and non-members. Bakwadi demanded to be furnished with minutes and resolutions taken at the alleged meeting. He said a tournament planned for this weekend, will go on as planned despite reports to the contrary by the interim committee. In one of the letters, interim secretary-general, Boitumelo Koone, informed the BOKA office and the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) about the members of the interim committee.
In another letter, Koone requested the BOKA executive committee to hand over the office. “We invite yourselves to the handing over of the BOKA office to the interim committee scheduled for February 13, 2025, at the BOKA office. This follows a ‘motion of no confidence’ that was passed on the president and his committee in a Special General Meeting (SGM), which was held on February 8 at Yarona Country Lodge in Mogoditshane,” the letter reads. Koone said an interim committee had been appointed to take over hence such an invitation for a smooth handover.
Meanwhile, Koone wrote another letter to BOKA federations, referees, and officials informing them about the cancellation of a tournament that was scheduled for Saturday. “The previous BOKA leadership no longer holds the authority to sanction events, as the interim committee was duly elected and has taken over the administration of BOKA. Any event organised under the previous leadership is unauthorised and illegitimate,” the letter reads. Koone urged federations, clubs, referees and officials not to participate in the event, as it does not comply with BOKA regulations. “Any club or official that proceeds with this tournament will be doing so in violation of BOKA’s governance structures and may face disciplinary action. A new official date for the tournament will be communicated in due course,” the letter reads in part.
