Carlos Kambaekwa
Windhoek-The old saying that if you can’t stand the heat in the kitchen, the best option is to get out has come true at the troubled Namibia Premier League (NPL).
Following weeks of turmoil within the corridors of the country’s flagship league, the NPL, in the aftermath of the league’s dismal failure to solicit sponsorship for the 2016/2017 campaign, the league’s embattled chairperson Johnny JJD Doeseb tendered his resignation with immediate effect yesterday.
Doeseb’s departure came as no surprise with murmurs of discontent heard that potential sponsors were reluctant to bail the financially crippled league out of its financial quagmire as they had apparently lost faith in the current NPL leadership under the stewardship of Doeseb.
Uncharacteristically, the Namibian mining mogul chose to issue a written statement to announce his resignation instead of calling a press conference to allow room for questions.
“I would like to thank the few individuals within our football structures who shared the same vision and drive with me and would like to urge them to continue fighting the good fight for the Good of the Game.
“Allow me to express my gratitude and appreciation to all football fans, supporters and the general public for the support during my chairmanship,” the statement read.
He further states in his resignation letter that his rushed decision to step down was partly hastened by individuals in the football leadership and stakeholders whom he accused of bad faith.
He accused them of laughing with him while secretly going behind his back to engineer his exit to serve their own personal interests.
“I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve as NPL chairman and in the leadership of Namibian Football and wish everybody including the NPL the best as you continue to move forward with other initiatives you are pursuing.
“It is my hope and wish, that the envisaged sponsorship will materialise now that I’m stepping down for the good of the game,” he said.
In his parting words, the charismatic businessman turned football administrator expressed his profound gratitude and appreciation to the NPL secretariat, adding that it was really awesome to work with the staff during both good and bad times and he wished them all the best.
Now the fundamental question on many football followers’ lips is; will Doeseb’s departure ultimately pave the way for potential sponsors to come on board or will this leave the already fragile NPL in total chaos? Well only time will tell.
Just recently, the NPL Board of Governors (BoG) or the Management Committee (MC) filed a motion of no confidence in the NPL leadership and requested an Extra-Ordinary General Assembly.
It has since emerged that the clubs cannot remove the chairman or management committee as claimed in letters filed by the clubs, without advancing valid reasons for taking such steps.
New Era Sports has established that accused persons must be afforded an opportunity to defend themselves in accordance with NFA rules.
Meanwhile, the much mooted and eagerly awaited NPL Extraordinary General Assembly, which is slated for this weekend, and is ostensibly aimed at electing an ad hoc committee to run the affairs of the NPL has also come under heavy criticism.
Article 55 dealing with the Electoral Committee appears to have been gravely violated since the NFA statutes do not make provision for Interim Committees within the football family.