BFL set for a stormy meeting
Mqondisi Dube | Friday February 10, 2023 14:17
The explosive letter, signed by five other directors and leaked to the media, accuses Zakhem of taking unilateral decisions.
In particular, the Gaborone United director is in the dock for discussing issues surrounding the league’s prize money and the appointment of the BFL CEO without consulting other directors.
Last week Friday, Zakhem addressed a press conference to update on various issues affecting the local league.
This included the announcement that there will be prize money at the end of the season and that a South African will be appointed CEO on a one-year contract, understudied by a local candidate.
However, this infuriated the other directors, who include Botswana Football Association (BFA) vice president, Masego Ntshingane, Tebogo Sebego, Njabulo Gilika, Kagiso Mogocha, and Johane Mchive.
Zakhem is also accused of taking other unspecified decisions without the consensus of the group. “This letter, therefore, serves as a demand for you to observe and commit to the principles of good governance and uphold majority decisions at the board level. We further demand that there be no further public announcement on the above issues until due process has been complied with,” reads the letter to Zakhem. But in an interview, Zakhem said the letter was illegal. “Ntshingane should not be making decisions as he is just an observer from the BFA.
He is interfering, he is a non-executive who should not vote,” Zakhem told MmegiSport yesterday. On accusations of taking unilateral decisions, Zakhem said due process had been followed and the board members were aware of issues disclosed to the public. “Regarding the prize money, we agreed that we use the same procedure we followed last season.
The issue is not about prize money or the CEO, but it is political,” he said. Zakhem said if the board members had a grievance they know the channels to follow. “You should ask yourself why the document was leaked to the press. What was the intention? I have done nothing wrong. If you said I had misappropriated funds or employed my brother as the CEO, I would understand,” he said. He claimed some within the board wanted grants for teams and not prize money. “Some want to look good by demanding grants for teams. But we have to choose between grants and prize money as the league has no sponsor. There should be competition in the league.
The first team cannot get the same amount as the 16th-placed side,” he said. The BFL is in the hunt for a CEO with South African administrator, Senzo Mbatha preferred for the top post on a one-year contract.
However, the directors said Zakhem had disregarded the agreed process of identifying a suitable candidate. “The CEO is like my secretary and I should be able to work with him. Gilika was once recommended and some people didn’t want to work with him and we respected that.” He said he had not responded to the letter as there is a board meeting scheduled for today, where sparks are expected to fly. “I will respond tomorrow (today) and we will discuss it. I cannot be pushed. I can only resign on my own [accord].
I have done nothing wrong,” he said. One of the board members, speaking on condition of anonymity said Zakhem has to address governance issues and stop playing the political card. “It's all about governance. Clearly, Chairman isn't focusing on the real issues about how boards of companies ought to operate. The key issue is unsanctioned decisions and a demand for him to commit to the collective.
Any other matter is nonsensical and demonstrates his inability to lead,” the official said. Bare-knuckled football fights are expected to escalate as football prepares for next year’s BFA elections, with battle lines already drawn.