WINDHOEK The Government has intervened in the current leadership crisis haunting Namibian football and has told the Namibian Football Association (NFA) and their bona fide membership to resolve the problems affecting the association. Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, John Mutorwa, said in a statement that he had noted the squabbles in Namibian football and called upon the NFA elected executive committee and their members to iron out their problems. Some members of the NFA on Saturday elected a new executive, throwing the sport into turmoil. “The Ministry, as a matter of duty, stands ready to assist the NFA, or any national sport organization if and when the situation so requires, in the best interest of sport in general and football, in this case, in particular. For now, the Ministry leaves the matter in the capable hands of the NFA’s elected executive committee and their bona fide general membership, for handling and resolution,” he said. Mutorwa advised all sports organisations, particularly the NFA, to solve their problems unemotionally. “The Ministry hereby advises and encourages all sports organisations to now discuss and resolve misunderstandings within their ranks, unemotionally, rationally and soberly, with due regard to the national policies and laws of Namibia, such as for example the Sport Act of 2003, the NFA Constitution and other regional, continental and world sport institutions’ constitutions and statutes; institutions to which the NFA is affliated,” he said. Mutorwa said all institutions in Namibia, including sport, should practise the principles of democracy. “The Republic of Namibia is hereby established as a sovereign, secular, democratic and unitary State, founded upon the principles of democracy, the rule of law and justice for all. All power shall vest in the people of Namibia, who shall exercise their sovereignty through the democratic institutions of the state. “Based on the aforementioned article of our constitution, it follows, and it is expected that all other institutions in our country, including sports organisations, must, at all times responsibly embrace, respect and practise the fundamental principles and tenets of democracy, constitutionalism, the rule of law, and free and fair elections, when electing their leaders,” said Mutorwa. Meanwhile, a total of 38 football teams and 26 netball teams are expected to compete in the annual Pekara Kaaheke Cup tournament at Gobabis this weekend. The Otjozondjima Sport Club is organizing the tournament in remembrance of Kaaheke who was murdered in Windhoek on 2 June 2003. The owner of Triple C Night Pub, Gabriel Goagoseb, donated a cheque of N$ 45 000 as prize money for the tournament. A sum of N$30 000 has been allocated to soccer, while the remaining N$15 000 is for netball. The Otjozondjima Football Club’s sport organizer Spee Katjirua appealed to soccer lovers in Omaheke to support the tournament. All the matches to be played would take place at the Legare Stadium. The first round fixtures for the soccer tournament are as follows: 1.Otjozondjima vs Omarombora 2.Otjovakombe United vs Chakalaka 3.Elven Stars vs Straight Forward 4.Kalkpan vs Ovingejamona 5.Rovers United vs Otjinoko 6.Blouberg vs Jakkals Draai 7.Inter de vs Erongo Swallows 8.Demo Stars vs Ofarama 9.Epukiro RC vs Eiseb-Eises 10.Pamue Eleven vs Eastern Swallows 11.Otjimanangombe vs Western Stars 12.Inter Rovers vs sunset 13.Life Inno City vs Epukiro United 14.Tukusa vs Kalahari Desert 15.PowerAde vs Otjombonde 16.Omuhanuua vs Stranger Bucs 17.Vergenoeg vs Top Score 18.Otjimati vs Oruvize 19.Ovinjuru vs Otjiwarongo