WINDHOEK – The much-anticipated Namibia Football Association (NFA) Elective Congress, slated for Saturday in Windhoek, is unlikely to go ahead as initially planned.
With just two days left before the Congress kicks off, fingers are being pointed at the NFA Directorate.
Football House stands accused of having deliberately flaunted rules and regulations in terms of procedures governing the electoral process in an apparent bid to hamstring the campaign bid of presidential candidate, notably Ranga Haikali, from garnering sufficient votes to fill the vacant plum position.
The local business mogul is trying his luck again for the position after failing dismally to unseat the outgoing John Muinjo, in the 2010 NFA Presidential Elections.
During a hastily-organised but well attended press briefing at a posh hotel in Windhoek yesterday, a more relaxed Haikali, campaigning under the theme “Vote Ranga Haikali for Prosperity in Namibian Football”, raised serious concerns over a range of irregularities committed by the NFA Secretariat.
The irregularities included the serious and deliberate hijacking of the vetting, scrutiny and verification process.
“The NFA Secretary General Barry Rukoro, went public to immaturely condemn my nomination, disregarding the provisions of the NFA constitution as amended and adopted on the 26 of September 2014, which the NFA Secretary General must protect and defend at all costs,” said Haikali.
Haikali further stressed that the NFA Constitution states in no uncertain terms that the verification, vetting or scrutiny of the nominated candidates are the prerogative of an Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and not of the NFA Secretary General.
“It’s an open secret that the recently adopted NFA Constitution was amended to exclude the broad football loving Namibians, including myself and many others wishing to enter the strategic hierarchy of the NFA, thus shutting down doors in the face of potential contestants for the NFA Presidency or any other portfolios on the NFA Executive.”
The former trade unionist dismissed what he described as malicious claims that were allegedly strategically manufactured by the NFA SG, painting him as a fugitive and on the wanted list of law enforcers for alleged fraudulent activities.
A clearly infuriated Haikali displayed a police clearance certificate to dispel the unsubstantiated allegations made by the NFA SG.
“Needless that the people who spread these rumours need to do self reflection and mediate about their own flaws and how many times they have wittingly for self interest and ambition unethically broken or taken short cuts for their advantage. There are no holy cows in the NFA Secretariat, we witness their shoddy dealings on a daily basis, no wonder the Brave Warriors are on a downward spiral,” he said.
Haikali said he would ensure, as part of his key performance indicator that all regions through the NFA enter into a corporate sponsorship agreement.
“All regions will receive a mandatory N$200,000, starting capital to enable them to enforce an effective administration. This budget totals a massive N$2.8 million for all NFA affiliates,” Haikali said
Meanwhile, any doubts lingering over the eligibility of Haikali for the NFA Presidency were early yesterday finally doused when three people from the NFA IEC, Ambrosius Tierspoor, Moses Ikanga and Afrika Jantjies, endorsed Haikali’s candidacy during a brief gathering for media practitioners.
Haikali goes toe-to-toe with Oshana Region’s chairman Frans Mbidi and has assembled a strong team of campaigners that includes astute football administrators to champion his aspirations.
By Carlos
Kambaekwa