Babitseng’s dos and don’ts
Chakalisa Dube | Saturday September 21, 2024 06:00
Purging opponents
One of the issues that the new BFA president should avoid at all costs is attempting to purge dissent or those who did not back his presidential bid. Should Babitseng purge those he differs with or those who did not back him, this would very much likely set an unpleasant tone for his tenure, ultimately polarising the BFA and by extension its lower structures. There’s already evidence that previous efforts to eliminate dissent under past leaders significantly contributed to the decline of football in the country.
Guarding against inner circle
It is not a secret that Babitseng, just like any other leader, has a group of people who are loyal to him. It is a group of loyalists who played a leading role in his ascendency.
This group of loyalists will inevitably play a leading role in terms of advising him on critical football matters. However, Babitseng should guard against solely or heavily depending on his group for advice. This might obstruct him from gaining divergent perspectives that can help him fully execute his mandate. For the BFA to be progressive, Babitseng must be willing to listen to different opinions or views, as well as act on consensus decisions.
Adherence to corporate governanceOne of the key features of Babitseng’s reign at BFA should be ensuring that good corporate governance standards at the association are fully adhered to. There have been concerns that there is little or no regard for corporate governance. The Lekidi Football Centre is now regarded as one of the epicentres of corruption in the country, with several key officials being accused of lack of accountability and flouting procurement procedures for their own benefit. This then means that adherence to corporate governance standards should be one of the key priorities for the new president. Babitseng himself has been accused of failure to stick to governance standards during his previous tenure at the association. He must use the opportunity to regain the trust of those who doubt his leadership.
Improve stakeholder relationsThe relationship between the BFA and its stakeholders has been waning significantly over the years. Key stakeholders such as the Botswana National Sport Commission and the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture have been open about their poor relationship with the BFA, owing to the association’s lack of accountability on government subventions and general maladministration, amongst others.
The association has lost some key sponsors in recent years and that has largely been attributed to poor stakeholder relationships. The relationship between the BFA, the media, and fans has also not been so convincing. To restore the relationship between the BFA and its stakeholders, Babitseng should adopt a leadership style that embraces open communication, accountability, and transparency. This will be key in terms of revitalising the association’s image.
Be his own man Above everything, Babitseng should prioritise being his own man. That is not to say he should shun advice from his inner circle or stakeholders. He should, however, ensure that in making decisions he strives for objectivity, as well as independence and is not swayed by outside influence.
This will be crucial as some of the decisions taken by the previous BFA leaders were perceived to have been dependent on external influence and were met with resistance.