Rukoro spits venom

The Fifa normalisation committee headed by Hilda Basson-Namundjebo on Wednesday managed to remove long-serving Namibia Football Association (NFA) secretary-general Barry Rukoro his office, but the drama is only beginning.

The 'Teflon Don' was accompanied by a number of police officers as he left the NFA in what premises.

The normalisation committee has also demanded that Rukoro hand over all property and assets belonging to the NFA, such as the Toyota Fortuner he uses on a daily basis.

Rukoro has threatened to take legal action, citing that proper channels where not used to remove him.

Rukoro, who has held on to the position for almost two decades, said he will react in accordance with how the newly appointed committee treats him.

“What they do will influence what I do. This is a matter of respecting procedures and being aware of ways of how to deal with issues and treating one as a human being.

“I waited for a meeting which was scheduled between myself and the committee, but no one came. I will allow the law to take its course. We don't live in the wild west, for us to play cowboys and crooks,” said Rukoro.

A few weeks ago Rukoro spoke about how he relishes stepping down, in order for someone else to occupy his seat.



Elections and other challenges

The mandate of the normalisation committee will end no later than 31 May 2019 and includes the following tasks:

To run the NFA's daily affairs;

To ensure that the members of the NFA, whose executive committees are out of mandate, organise and conduct the relevant elections; and

Once elections have been held at member level, to organise and conduct the election of a new NFA executive committee.

The committee will also act as an electoral committee and none of its members will be eligible for any of the open positions in the elections.

The immediate challenge the committee is likely to face is executing proper elections, using the current NFA constitution.

Ensuring election opportunities for new members from the regions, especially those not part of the former NFA regime, will be a huge task for the committee.

The current NFA constitution states that the executive committee will consist of 11 members who comprise of the president, first vice-president, second vice-president and six members, with at least one being a woman.

It must also consist of the chairperson of the Namibia Premier League (NPL) executive committee and one representative from the nationwide first division streams, selected from the chairpersons of the these streams.

Article 33.2 of the constitution states: “The president, vice-presidents and members of the executive committee shall be elected by the congress.”

The president, vice-presidents and six other members are normally proposed by at least one delegate.

The representative of the NPL on the NFA exco is normally the chairman of the league.

The representative chairpersons of the nationwide first division streams is a chairperson, unless there is a deadlock, in which case the congress will election the representative.

All members of the NFA executive committee shall be no older than 70 or younger than 23.

The members of the executive committee, except the NPL chairperson, should already been active for years, serving as executive members or a member of the NFA.

The members of the executive committee must not of have been previously found guilty a criminal offence incompatible with the position and must have residency within Namibia.

A list of candidates must be sent to the general secretariat of the NFA. The official list of candidates must be passed on to the members of the NFA, along with the agenda for the congress at which the executive committee will be elected.

LIMBA MUPETAMI AND JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA