Kuvee Kangueehi Windhoek Former treasurer of the Namibia Football Association (NFA), Tjeripo “Pro” Rijatua, has declined to stand for re-election at the upcoming congress. After serving the NFA for the past eleven years, Rijatua decided not to stand for the position and only wished his former executive members well for the upcoming elections. “I have decided not to stand for this position and wish to thank all the members who have been supporting me over the years, the Ministry of Sport for their contribution to football in our country and our main sponsors, being First National Bank, MTC and Namibia Breweries. Rijatua requested those members who have been supporting him to go and vote for his fellow former executive members. The treasurer said for continuity, good governance and stability the delegates to the congress should rally behind the current Acting President, John Muinjo, who has been Vice-President to two Presidents with different characters. “Muinjo will turn out a better leader as he has been groomed for the position, as well as being very experienced and hands on.” Rijatua also called on people to rally behind Kolbinian Amutenya for Vice-Presidency. “Amutenya has been serving as Omusati Regional chairman for years and is the suitable candidate for the position as our motto has been that future NFA leaders would emerge from the regions, and he is more than ready to take up that challenge”. He recommended that Cornelius Kapenda should take over from him the position of treasurer. Meanwhile, Nampa reports that with the elections contesting the NFA’s Presidency in 11 days, Blue Waters Football Club Managing Director, Hendrick Davids, claimed that he is undoubtedly the association’s next President. Davids, who is contesting the NFA’s Presidency against incumbent President Muinjo on October 28 at a local hotel, is convinced he will walk away as the winner by a majority vote. In an interview with Nampa on Tuesday, Davids, who owns Blue Waters, said once he is in office, his first priority will be to ensure that football development in the 13-political regions received the boost it deserves since there has been zero development. “The regions have been neglected, as there are absolutely no youth development structures”, he indicated. According to the NFA’s presidential hopeful, he will give more powers to regional offices by ensuring massive youth development structures that will cater for young football enthusiasts. Regarding his second priority, Davids said his focus is to assist the new Namibia Premier League (NPL) Board of Governors (BoG) Chairman, Pieter van Wyk, in establishing a professional league. Said David: “I will use my power as President for a professional league to materialize. I will support Van Wyk to professionalize the league.” For the NPL to reach its ultimate growth is to get them re-located from the NFA’s Soccer House to regain their autonomy without any interference from the NFA, he said. Davids is the Chairman of the NFA Interim Committee which wanted to oust the current NFA Executive under the leadership of Muinjo. However, with the interference by the world soccer body, FIFA recommended a road map that would clearly called for fresh elections, starting with regional elections, to steer football in the right direction. Meanwhile, Davids sympathized with Anton van Wyk, who lost to the newly-elected BoG Chairman, adding that each club had its own view; perhaps they (the clubs) decided that enough was enough after having been with Van Wyk for the past two years. After the NFA Executive election on October 28, a constitutional review will take place early next year to ensure that the revised constitution is in line with the statutes and laws of the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA).
2006-10-182024-04-23By Staff Reporter