WINDHOEK – In a letter dated 19 February 2019, Tjombe-Elago Inc. – the lawyers representing the Fifa Normalisation Committee – wrote to ousted Namibia Football Association (NFA) Secretary-General Barry Rukoro and his lawyers Tjitemisa & Associates reaffirming the committee’s resolute decision not to reinstate Rukoro.
Besides the affirmation, renowned legal guru Norman Tjombe of Tjombe-Elago Inc. also amplified the committee’s stance that Rukoro’s employment contract with NFA ran full circle last year and his continued stay, as secretary-general was unlawful and illogical.
“At the outset, we point out that your client’s contract of employment terminated on 31 March 2018 by effluxion of time in terms of clause 2, read with clause 11.4 and 11.1 (iii) of the written contract of employment will terminate at the end of month wherein your client turns 60 years of age, it does provide that “unless the parties agree otherwise in writing”. It is clear that the parties have so otherwise agreed and in writing in clause 2 of the said contract, thus determining that the employment is for a fixed period of 24 months.
In addition, any extension of the contract of employment that your client may have been granted by the NFA Executive Committee on 2 June 2018, would have expired by now, as such purported extension was only until December 2018. Any purported continuation of your client’s employment contract is therefore unlawful,” reads Tjombe’s letter.
As a parting shot in the letter, Tjombe unleashed his war chest reminding Rukoro and his lawyers that the Fifa-appointed committee is ready and will not accede to the demands of the former secretary-general and any litigation, in whatever shape or form, “will vigorously be defended by our clients”.