13 Sep 2024

Thirty-eight delegates from 17 regions are expected to cast their vote at the Botswana Football Association (BFA) elective congress, which will be held in Palapye tomorrow.

Three candidates, Maclean Letshwiti, Masego Nchingane and Tariq Babitseg are vying for the BFA top post.

The vice president-one post will be hotly contested by Maokaneng Bontshetse, and Phadza Butale. Both of them are very knowledgeable in football issues and delegates will be spoilt for choice.

Carlos Sebina and Tebogo Kamati who are the current BFA national executive committee members, will battle it out for the position of vice president-two.

For the ordinary members slots there are five candidates, namely, Normal Sebele, Goemeone Letebele, Bathusi Rathari, Rabbie Ratshosa, Moreotsile Juta, while Suzie Montsho and Thabang Shadikong will tussle it for additional female member.

The BFA Electoral Committee chairperson, Thapelo Resheng, said they were ready to deliver credible, fair and transparent elections. He said only the chairpersons and the secretaries of the 17 football regions are eligible to vote on Saturday, adding that the other four delegates would be from the national women’s league and the Botswana Football League. Furthermore, he said in the event of a tie after the counting process, there would be a re-run and different colour ballots would be used.

He said the electoral process starts immediately after the dissolution of the current National Executive Committee (NEC), adding that a roll for all the delegates eligible to vote will be called. The voting process, he said, would be explained to them including the introduction to the ballot papers, bailiff and notary.

“Voters will vote one at a time until all the 38 delegates have voted. Counting will commence immediately thereafter. We will announce the results immediately after the counting,” he said.

Furthermore, he said the president first run requires 70% votes.

“If no one gets 70%, there will be a re-run for number 1 and 2 since there are only 3 candidates. Number 3 will be dropped and would not participate in the re-run. The 70% rule falls away and the winner will be the one who gets the most votes between the two. All the other positions do not use the percent majority rule. The one who gets the most votes will be the successful candidate,” he said.

The BFA chief executive officer, Mfolo Mfolo, said preparations for the national assembly from their side has been going well.

“Remember, we are not responsible for the elections as the secretariat. Our programme will be in the morning where we are expecting the president’s speech, financials and if there are motions we will attend to those. As for the elections, there is an electoral committee responsible for that,” he said.

ENDS.