Quandary as NFA executive committee’s term expires …Namibian football officially without leadership

WINDHOEK – As of midnight yesterday, the term of office of the Namibia Football Association (NFA)’s executive committee officially came to an end, leaving the federation effectively without any leadership in place.

The NFA executive came into power on 6 December 2014 and their term of office officially ran full circle yesterday, 5 December 2018.

Although the NFA executive took a decision in June this year to extended its term and that of its beleaguered secretary-general Barry Rukoro until December, those with intimate understanding of the law and ethics say the committee cannot extend its own term.

Instead, observers say any such decision would be illegal and unconstitutional as only congress – the highest decision-making body – possesses the powers to extended the term of the executive committee.

The decision at the June’s meeting was never endorsed by congress, which according to Article 23 of the NFA constitution, has the powers and jurisdiction to elect or dismiss the president, the two vice-presidents and the six members of the executive committee.

Under the same Article, only congress has the powers to pass decisions at the request of a member in accordance with these statutes.

Secretary-general of the Namibia Football Players Union (NAFPU) Olsen Kahiriri yesterday pointed out to the same NFA statues, saying as of this morning (today), the NFA is officially without leadership as the terms of office of the pervious executive members expired midnight yesterday and no decision from congress made to extend the committee’s term.

“The constitution is very clear on that subject and should they (the executive) continue to hold office tomorrow, then that will be unconstitutional and will require the urgent intervention of CAF or FIFA. Congress is the only organ that can extend the stay of the executive and that has not happened at all,” said Kahiriri.

Local veteran football pundit Hendrick Christian concurred with Kahiriri, saying the constitution is explicit on the subject of the term of office of the executive and, as it stands, only mother bodies such as CAF, FIFA and COSAFA can normalise the situation in consultation with local football stakeholders.

“I mean NFA congress members knew where the situation was headed to and none of them stood up to propose a date and agenda of the executive to be discussed - look where we are now. Football is without leadership and only God knows what’s next. Come tomorrow morning (this morning) those guys should not be in office at all as their term would have expired by then. So we now await on FIFA or CAF to pronounce themselves on the matter,” added Christian.