07 Jan 2024

Botswana Football League (BFL) has halted the resumption of both the premier league and national first division league games following the Christmas break as initially planned.

This is due to the current dispute between Botswana Football Association (BFA) and BFL.

A  press release from the BFL states that shareholders took a decision to stop the premier league and first division league games immediately until all resolution of the meeting of December 16, 2023 are implemented with no exception.

The dispute between BFA and the BFL owes to the decision by the BFL shareholders meeting held on December 16,2023 in Palapye where the BFL shareholders resolved to remove from office chairperson, Nicholas Zakhem and board member Jagdish Shah.

The Palapye stakeholders meeting opted to vote in Masitaoka chairperson, Godfrey Ratlhaga and Tafic’s Tumelo Toteng as the new BFL chairman and board member respectively in replacement of the ousted duo.

The fallout within the BFL leadership could be attributed to the decision to reduce the number of the premier league teams from 16 to 12 by relegating four teams at the end of the 2023-2024 season, a move which was not favoured by some of the BFL stakeholders. The expulsion of Messers Zakhem and Shah from the roles in the BFL impelled the duo to lodge an urgent application before the court of laws, which they later withdrew.

Cognisant of the effect the dispute at BFL could have on football in general and acting upon the powers bestowed on the BFA , the country’s football governing body decided that the Palapye resolutions be stayed pending a review thereof.

According to a media release from BFA, the meeting of the stakeholders held in Palapye was in contravention of BFA and BFL constitution as it violated the memorandum of agreement between the BFA and the BFL which was signed on May 04, 2023 granting the BFL the powers to run the league on behalf of the BFA.

“As a result of such contravention, BFA shall not recognise the decisions passed by the BFL at their meeting in Palapye in accordance with clause 16.4 of the BFA constitution, thus the shareholders are directed to forthwith withdraw the resolutions and lodge with the BFA NEC any grievances,” says the release.

The BFL games were initially scheduled to resume on January 12 following the festive season break. Ends