Well, yours truly is not an expert in legal matters nor am I exactly conversant with legal terms but having spent a significant chunk of my formative years in the good company of “larneys” I’ve a fairly decent understanding of the Queen’s tongue, so to speak.
Without beating about the bush, the much-anticipated judgement in the court saga between the country’s presiding football body, the Namibia Football Association (NFA) and its chief associate the Namibia Premiership (NPL) left a bitter taste in the mouth.
The precise words of judge Dave Smuts, read verbatim: “I’m going to defend and uphold the constitution of the Republic of Namibia as the supreme law … God help me.”
Now, the fundamental question that begs an answer is: how the bloody hell can a high-profile legal mind arrive at the conclusion that Namibian courts do not have jurisdiction to preside over or interfere in the internal affairs of football when confirmed Namibian citizens are seeking recourse from the very same courts that are meant to protect them? I’m just wondering. In my honest opinion, this is a travesty of justice in total contradiction of what the learned judge uttered in his oath.
And while some people are jubilant about the outcome … football is the ultimate loser in this regard because an extremely dangerous precedent has been set where the country’s football governing body is allowed to freely mingle in the domestic affairs of affiliates and bend the rules at the slightest provocation.
Staying in the corridors of Football House … it never rains but only pours for Namibian football with another high profile court case on the horizon.
Word has it that former NFA president Frans Mbidi is dragging his former bosses to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following his grounding from contesting for a second bite at the cherry for the NFA presidency.
Mbidi has been deemed ineligible to stand for re-election after he already completed two terms as an executive member of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) – first as an executive member before he was elevated to the NFA top position, succeeding John Muinjo.
However, the northern businessman is having none of that and has sought refuge with CAS to be reinstated as presidential candidate. Fellow sidelined presidential candidates lawyer Patrick Kauta and Mpasi Haingura are also seeking intervention from CAS to have their grounding nullified for various reasons.
Seriously, who in their sober mind would go the length of spending such large amounts of moolah on court cases if there are no tangible returns for all the troubles, or shall we give the brother the benefit of the doubt and conclude he is driven by an unquenchable love for the game and a desire to serve his beloved motherland, by hook or by crook.
The election for the NFA president is set for tomorrow in what pundits see as a two-horse race between business moguls Ranga Haikali and Johnny ‘JJD’ Doeseb, with rank outsiders Mabos Vries and Izak Fredericks lurking adrift.
Yours truly has taken note of a potentially very dangerous pattern amongst football followers with regard to their preferred presidential candidates. The race for the NFA presidency has an unpleasant odour of TRIBALISM.
Judging from comments on social media, the majority of those in support of ‘JJD’ are from his tribe while the same also applies for Ranga. Tribal sentiments should have no place in our most treasured national asset “the beautiful game of football”.
This nauseating tendency should be discouraged at all costs – let us rather concentrate on the potential and quality of the incoming president … certainly not their provincial attachment please. Sad thing is those that are going to cast their vote hold the key to our future but then again … “dirty money” could prove a decisive factor in the ultimate outcome of the presidential race. I rest my case.