The Namibia Football Association (NFA) Football House in Katutura has become a battle ground for the survival of the fittest, with the association’s president Ranga Haikali fighting to regain control of the beleaguered federation while the FA’s secretary general Franco Cosmos is punching back to save his job.
As it currently stands, the NFA’s top leadership structure is heavily divided, with Haikali literally struggling to exercise his constitutional powers as head of the local football association as a result of an alienated executive committee – which is said to have been siding with Cosmos on all important matters pertaining to the running of the NFA– thus rendering Haikali powerless to discipline or instruct Cosmos.
Yesterday, the media was inundated with leaked letters between Haikali and Cosmos. In one of the letters dated 4 August 2021, Haikali asked Cosmos to respond and provide clarity on nine counts of various allegations which involve gross misconduct, non-compliance with NFA procedures and policies, relaying false or fraudulent information, and refusing to obey instructions.
The said allegations emanate from Cosmos’ decision of 15 November 2020 to award a tender worth N$2.3 million to a company called Kalahari Dunes Trading Enterprises when he was still only acting secretary general of the NFA.
Cosmos was expected to disclose that tender to the NFA president and his executive committee at their 3 December 2020 meeting, but Cosmos, according to Haikali, chose to keep that transaction under wraps and Haikali only got to know about it in February this year.
In his letter, Haikali further claimed that at the same 3 December 2020 meeting, Cosmos presented half-baked financial reports for the year April 2019 to March 2020 to the executive committee and despite numerous requests by Haikali for Cosmos to furnish the original consolidated financial reports, Cosmos never did.
Haikali also claimed that the same malicious financial reports were presented by Cosmos to Congress on 5 December 2020. Also in December last year, Haikali alleges, Cosmos breached the NFA recruitment and selection procedures and policies when he advertised the marketing manager position on WhatsApp groups for over four days and then insisted that the executive committee sign it off.
As per NFA recruitment and selection procedures and policies, all vacant positions must be advertised in the newspapers and on its website in order to accord all Namibians an open and transparent application process.
Among other countless allegations levelled against Cosmos by Haikali is that Cosmos wanted to recruit the head coach of the Brave Warriors without the consent and approval of the executive committee and the president; and recruited individuals to represent the NFA at Cosafa platforms without the consent and approval of the executive committee and the president.
Haikali, in his letter, asked Cosmos to respond to all allegations and provide clarity where needed. But in a separate letter dated 11 August 2021, Cosmos, through his lawyer Sacky Kadhila Amoomo, requested Haikali to provide more information related to the allegations in order for them to respond accordingly.
Upon noticing that the letters were leaked to the media, Haikali yesterday told Nampa the letter to Cosmos was never meant for the public.
“He leaked the letter to the executive committee and media before even responding to it. He was supposed to reply to me, but he chose to reply through lawyers. He has turned this into a public relations exercise. I do not know if he is aware of how serious this is,” Haikali said, adding that he is currently seeking legal advice on the matter.
- ohembapu@nepc.com.na