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Open letter to Veron Mosengo-Omba

2021-11-09  Otniel Hembapu

Open letter to Veron Mosengo-Omba

Let me start off by extending my warm greetings to Veron Mosengo-Omba and also welcome him and his delegation to the Land of the Brave.  

The last time you were here was in 2019 when you came to appoint and unveil the Fifa-appointed normalisation committee for the troubled Namibia Football Association (NFA). But this time around, you return to Namibia in your new capacity as Caf secretary general.

I must share, disappointingly, that a lot has happened in Namibian football since your last visit in 2019. The normalisation committee that you and Fifa gave to Namibia was an abject failure that only brought us more misery.

At a time when Namibians needed Fifa’s assistance and guidance to help resolve the impasse that has been bedevilling our football, Fifa was of no assistance during our hour of need. 

In fact, your Fifa, Mr Mosengo-Omba, told our sports minister Agnes Tjongarero to shut up and sit down when she was trying her level best to intervene (not interfere) in the ongoing football fights through the appointment of an independent remedial committee.

Our minister, entrusted by the sovereigns of this country to oversee and spearhead our sports agenda, was warned by Fifa not to get muddled in local football fights as it was deemed to be none of her and the Namibian government’s problem. How arrogant of Fifa!

This arrogance and inability by Fifa to normalise and stabilise our football has had real world consequences for Namibia and its entire football community. Many players are still on the street without an income and Namibia has seen its chances to play in the next round of qualifiers evaporate as very little competitive football has been played since your hands-off instruction to us, the people.

Although you are here in a different capacity this time around, the agenda remains the same and we, the Namibian people, have not forgotten your face Mr Mosengo-Omba. 

It puzzles the mind that the very same Tjongarero, who was told to shut up and sit down by Fifa, is now all of a sudden important enough for you and your delegation to engage her. 

I thought you and your friends in Zurich said our government officials should stay out of football affairs, so why are you seeking an audience with Tjongarero (a government appointed minister)? To do what? Or is it because it now suits your agenda to engage and involve Tjongarero? 

The independent remedial committee that was appointed by Tjongarero had solutions to our football problems, but your friends in Zurich said, “no outside interference will be allowed in NFA affairs”.

The questions remain, why are you seeking an audience with a politician (Tjongarero), which you and your friends in Zurich just a few months ago deemed unqualified to have an opinion on our taxpayer-funded football activities?  

I would say that’s hypocrisy of the highest order!


2021-11-09  Otniel Hembapu

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