Amidst BFA fights, Sebego raises hand for presidency
Mqondisi Dube | Saturday April 20, 2024 06:00
However, on Tuesday, just hours after the BFA Disciplinary Committee dropped charges he faced, Sebego indicated his name would be on the ballot in an election expected between August and October this year. Sebego is expected to face incumbent, Maclean Letshwiti although there has been no official confirmation if he will seek a third term. Phadza Butale’s name has been bandied about in the past, but nothing concrete has emerged as time ticks towards the crucial poll. Sebego became the first to make his intentions public through a charged-up Facebook post this week.
He told MmegiSport that he is driven by the urge to make football within borders great again. “The game has regressed in terms of the performance of the national teams. The Mares are the only ones giving us some semblance of good results. The leagues are underperforming; good governance has collapsed and fear has taken grip of all the structures; infrastructure development is nonexistent, development structures are non-functional,” Sebego said. “The game is in disarray. Opposing views are met with suspensions and marginalisation. The game needs restoration. Its soul is dead,” he added.
Sebego said the charges preferred against him were trumped up. He was charged with bringing the game into disrepute after participating in a meeting of disgruntled shareholders in Palapye on December 16, 2023, and other subsequent activities which were deemed illegal. “The case against me is a classic act of fiction. The charges are another act of desperation to eliminate competition. The leadership does not believe in a competition of ideas hence the creation of charges and mutilation of due process. The charges shall not see the light of the day in any judicial setup. Frankly, I am expecting them to fabricate more charges to disturb my campaign. It is their modus operandi,” he charged. After another Palapye meeting in January, a group from the Botswana Football League (BFL) met Letshwiti to find solutions to a leadership crisis. One of the group’s resolutions was to find ways to mediate between Letshwiti and Sebego as their soar relations were picked as one of the reasons for tensions in football.
Below is Sebego’s full interview.
MmegiSport: Some argue the toxic relationship between yourself and the current BFA president is not good for football and there is a need to reconcile the two, as this could continue regardless of the election outcome, what's your take?
Sebego: My record speaks volumes. In the past, I competed with David Fani, and we never had tensions. We supported his bid for the COSAFA position and integrated members of his team into crucial positions within the BFA structures soon after the elections. We did not target their elimination as it currently obtains. Football requires all of us but importantly it requires a leader who can take varying and different opinions. We don't have that currently, unfortunately, hence the so-called tension.
MmegiSport: You were in charge between 2012 and 2016, how do you rate your performance then and what will you do differently if voted in?
Sebego: I was 38 years old when I became president... relatively inexperienced. I have served all the structures and led a Premiership and First Division team. I have had a stint at the BFL. My experience is second to none in football. I was in the NEC that gave us the maiden AFCON qualification (Mr Fani was President). As for my successes; the national team was consistently under 100 in the FIFA rankings. I left the team at position 86. Our sponsorship value at all structures was at its highest ever, our league was rated amongst the top 10 in Africa and our Under-17 boys qualified for the Under-17 AFCON. We developed two astroturf grounds at Lekidi, and increased subversion to regions from P15,000 to P50,000; we had the highest number of supporters turn up to the national team games and league games. Football was working; we had a very positive stakeholder review.
MmegiSport: What then are your key priorities?
Sebego: Restoration of the soul of the game and this includes; - Proper and legitimate empowerment of structures, and semi-autonomy for regional and women football. - Proper and truthful grant of autonomy to the BFL including an increase in its representation at the BFA Assembly. The BFL independence must be protected with no interference - Grassroots, youth and women's football must and will take centre stage - Stakeholder management – our relationship with our key stakeholders like the BNSC, government, and sponsors and supporters will need management and alignment. Lately, we witnessed so many uncharacteristic relationships where we fight with our government and sponsors and we mute opinions from the public and supporters. - Democratisation of BFA structures – this will include the absolute right of teams/clubs to elect their representatives and at no point to have the NEC imposing its choice on clubs and structures. - Reinstatement of presidential term limit to two terms and limit of age to 70 years.