With little over a month left before the Namibia Football Association’s (NFA) 32nd elective congress, little to no information is available regarding the composition of the delegates and the contesting eligibility.
At this stage, it remains unclear which position will be up for grabs at congress or who will be eligible to vote or participate in the watershed event. The elective congress will lead up to the election of the new leadership of the Football Association (FA).
All that NFA can say at this point is that they will convene a meeting of members to discuss and potentially adopt the new statutes, which will determine the number of people who will attend the elective congress on 18 November as well as the criteria for those who wish to stand for the various positions on the board.
“There is a new statue that will be used at the upcoming NFA congress, so it is for the members to adopt the new statue before we put out any details pertaining to the upcoming 32nd Ordinary Congress. Members will meet on 14 October to adopt the constitution,” NFA secretary general Jochen Traut said yesterday.
What is congress?
The congress is a meeting where all affiliate members of the NFA regularly convene, and it represents the supreme and legislative authority of the NFA. Only a congress that is properly and legally convened has the authority to make decisions. A congress may be ordinary or extraordinary. The president of the NFA shall conduct the congress business in compliance with the standing orders of the congress. As it currently stands, the chairperson of the Fifa-appointed normalisation committee for the NFA, Bisey Uirab, will oversee Saturday’s proceedings.
What happens at an elective congress?
The elections shall be conducted by secret ballot unless the number of candidates is equal to the number of vacancies. The election may then be conducted by acclamation; elections of the members of the NFA shall be conducted in accordance with the electoral code of the NFA. For a person to be elected president of the NFA, a majority (more than 50%) of the valid votes cast and recorded is necessary in the first ballot.
Who should vote?
In a letter addressed to the Fifa Normalisation Committee (NC) by the world’s football governing body, Fifa, suggested or recommended a couple of people who should vote, which includes the Namibia Premier Football League (currently 16 clubs), each club should have one delegate (the chairperson), and each club should have one vote at the NFA congress. In the Women’s Super League (currently 12 clubs), each club should have one delegate (the chairperson), which will translate to one vote for them at the congress. The Women’s Football Association (WAF) is also allowed as a member, and it should have one delegate with one vote at the NFA congress. This is in line with Fifa’s objective to protect and develop the interests of women’s football.
First Division, which should be represented by three streams, each stream should have two delegates, with each delegate having one vote. Newly affiliated member Futsal should also confirm their participation for them to earn a voting right.
What are the powers of congress?
The congress has the power to adopt or amend the statutes, regulations governing the application of the statutes, and standing orders of the congress; it also has the power to appoint three members to check the minutes and approve the minutes of the last meeting. Moreover, congress has the power to elect or dismiss the president, the two vice presidents, and the six members of the NFA executive committee.