Tebogo Sebego has played down suggestions that his term as the Botswana Football Association President could be set for a premature end owing to regional complaints. A highly placed insider told this publication that a plot to oust the BFA leader has already been devised by some within the country’s regional structures.
Regional structures in the country are said to be displeased by some actions that have occurred during Sebego’s term. Recent allegations of financial mismanagement leveled against Tariq Babitseng BFA vice president (administration), that ultimately led to his suspension and the departure of Chief Executive Officer, Keith Masters could be used as leverage by the president’s doubters in their efforts to prove what they perceive as failure in the execution of his duties.
The former BFA legal advisor’s presidential campaign in 2012 had promised to cater for regional football needs and aimed to strengthen regional representation at National Executive Committee level.
Sebego obliged by giving four spots to make room for block representation for the regions. Regions have been divided into four (North, South, East and West) at NEC level. Despite this, they are still unhappy about the promises that included the provision of potter cabins to help them have working bases.
The four blocks are reportedly contemplating to request for a special meeting with the NEC to table a motion of no confidence against the BFA president.
“If the continual dissatisfaction with President, which we constantly hear emanating from the regions is true then there is no doubt that the president of the BFA is vulnerable. In their eyes, Sebego is culpable for a lot that goes wrong. His doubters claim that he is the common denominator in most cases, he is not directly involved but the people he has allegiances with have been linked with what many people perceive as controversial actions that affect the BFA,” the source stated.
According to the source, numerous regional members have voiced their complaints at ‘caucus level’ but they are yet to approach the BFA leader with the complaints. “They never choose the right platforms to make their case, that could be why their problems have not been addressed,” the source added.
However, the BFA president rubbished the reports by stating the following, “I interact with regions on a regular basis. It would be baseless for anyone to cite what happened with Babitseng and Masters to fuel their claims against me. Tariq’s matter is an ongoing case while ourselves and Masters separated on a mutual grounds, both situations should not be linked. I have regular discussions with regional representatives and none of them have submitted any complaints. I think such reports come from people who never really interact with regional representatives.”
“Every year there is a motion of no confidence, even before my term previous presidents faced such a motion. It is nothing new,” Sebego concluded.