16 Aug 2020

Botswana Football Association (BFA) presidential candidates, Tebogo Sebego and Ookeditse Malesu, have reported the incumbent, Maclean Letshwiti and his national executive committee to FIFA, accusing him of abuse of office and that their mandate had elapsed.

In their letter to FIFA, the duo complained that as per the constitution’s Article 30.1, the ordinary assembly shall be held in August 14 every year.

They said Letshwiti and his committee’s four-year term had elapsed because they were elected on August 13, 2016 and, therefore, they were holding the office illegally.

Furthermore, their letter states that the outgoing committee continued to take binding decisions for the association, which might not resonate well with the aspiration of the incoming office.

“The outgoing national executive committee continues to create financial obligations for the association and spend more monies and resources beyond their four year mandate,” read the letter.

However, Letshwiti said in an interview that he was aware of the letter, adding that he was disappointed by the fact that he was accused of influencing the electoral board decision in vetting them out.

“So I am going to take the matter for review to FIFA ethics committee, to determine whether I had influenced the electoral board outcome,” he said.

He said to the best of his knowledge both the electoral and appeals committee, were independent bodies, which could not be influenced by candidates.

Letshwiti said committee members were men and women of integrity, therefore to be accused of ‘arm twisting’ the electoral committee was equivalent to perjury.

Furthermore, Letshwiti said it was unfair for his committee to be accused of spending more money and resources because the association had to run before the elections.

“We will continue to spend money to make sure that the association is running, and we will continue to be in power, until the delegates remove us at the general assembly,” he said. ENDS