Otniel Hembapu
WINDHOEK- The Namibia Football Association (NFA) Executive Committee, at its meeting held at Safari Hotel in Windhoek on Saturday, resolved that the association’s out-of-contract secretary-general Barry Rukoro stays on until the NFA’s elective congress takes place in December.
Heading into the weekend’s meeting, Rukoro’s provisional stay as head of the NFA secretariat had expired on Saturday and a decision about his future at the country’s football governing body was to be made at the gathering.
It was decided that Rukoro’s stay be extended so that it now runs concurrently with the terms of the current NFA executive members, whose terms expires in December when the association’s next elective congress takes place – meaning Rukoro remains NFA’s chief administrator until December.
When new executive members are elected at this year’s congress, it will be up to them to decide if they still want to retain Rukoro or look for a new secretary-general to head the NFA.
Also heading into Saturday’s meeting, one towering point on the meeting’s agenda was the provisional dismissal of NFA president Frans Mbidi for alleged gross misconduct, but the motion was withdrawn at the meeting and no further discussions around the matter took place, as there was no significant evidence to put Mbidi’s provisional dismissal into motion.
How COSAFA pre-planned the outcome of NFA’s meeting.
Despite the outcome of Saturday’s meeting, New Era Sport has seen an avalanche of documents exposing the somewhat unceremonious role the COSAFA plays in the domestic affairs of the NFA, especially around decisions that should be taken by the association’s executive.
In a letter dated May 25, 2018, COSAFA’s secretary-general Sue Destombes wrote to Mbidi and Rukoro reminding them of a certain telephonic agreement they (Mbidi and Rukoro) made with COSAFA… “With reference to telephonic discussions over the past days and in particular today, we have committed in writing what we believe to be the wishes of both parties with the view to achieve normalcy within NFA and in the interest of Namibian football…following the successful conclusion of this matter, COSAFA invites the executive committee and secretary-general of NFA to Polokwane, South Africa for a strategic workshop on the future of football within Namibia,” reads the letter.
In another letter, also seen by New Era Sport, which particularly gives directions on how the NFA was to conduct its Saturday’s executive meeting, COSAFA again here points out to a certain agreement between Mbidi, Rukoro and the regional football body.
“1. President Frans Mbidi will sign the minutes of the meeting of the recent Emergency Committee meeting of the NFA, which calls for the reinstatement of the secretary-general’s employment contract for a term ending concurrently with the end of the current NFA administration… 2. The vote of no confidence item on the agenda of the executive committee of June 2 as well as any subsequent executive committee of the current administration shall be withdrawn by the agreement of the executive committee…3.Any and all allegations of wrongdoing against the president of the NFA by the executive committee and/or the secretary-general of the NFA shall be withdrawn…4. The Adhoc Committee of COSAFA shall proceed to Windhoek with the express mandate of COSAFA to craft a written agreement between the parties to concretise and protect the integrity of the above agreement between the parties” reads the letter leaked to New Era Sport.