…as sports mother-bodies intervene on fracas
Chris Theko
The attempt to dethrone the Lesotho Netball Association (LNA) President ‘MamotÅ¡abi Lekhabunyane, was severed a nose blow as the two sports mother bodies – the Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission (LSRC) and the Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) intervened on the dispute.
The two ordered a postponement of the LNA Special General Meeting (SGM) which was set for last Sunday in Maseru to instigate Lekhabunyane’s removal.
The members who want Lekhabunyane out accuse her of incompetence, abuse of power and embezzlement of the association’s funds.
The president was elected in April 2021 and her committee’s term is expected to run until 2024.
But the members of the executive want her gone and had called the SGM where she was to be officially removed from office.
However, the matter was nipped in the bud by the LSRC and the LNOC as they pursue a mutual intervention strategy.
As a result, the LNA wrote to its membership to explain the state of affairs saying that the association’s affairs would continue after the exercise.
“LNA received an invitation from our other bodies (LSRC and LNOC) asking for the meeting to intervene in LNA current disputes.
“For this reason, LNA kindly postpones the Special AGM, which was supposed to be held on the 19th June 2022 to allow intervention process by the said parties,†reads the letter which further stated that it is anticipated the SGM will continue right after the intervention process.
Ahead of the meeting, the other committee members had already trumped-up steps towards Lekhabunyane’s ouster, writing to her ordering her to make way from the apex LNA office. The six committee members Secretary-General Lineo Palime, Vice President Nokwanene Yengane, Vice Secretary Tanki Motšoene, Director Development Munyaradzi Shanduka, Central Region Representative ‘Matšepo Musi and South Region Representative Anna Shale, lead the park of those who want Lekhabunyane gone as they claim she is running the association to its knees.
Meanwhile, on her part, Lekhabunyane said she was aware of the matter although she would not be weighing-in on the matter at the moment since it was already being handled by the LSRC and the LNOC.
“I am aware of the matter but because it is now in the hands of the LSRC, I cannot comment on it,†she said.
The intervention which came with the order of postponement was confirmed by the LSRC Public Relations Officer, Jobo Pulumo who told Newsday Sport this week that the two mother bodies had already appointed a team to start the mediation process in the disputes.
“There is already a team that has been set-up on behalf of the two mother bodies to find a solution on the LNA dispute,†Pulumo said.
