BFA purge targets Sebego’s remnants

Botswana Football Association (BFA) factions seem to be alive and well. Four months after the Maclean Letshwiti regime vanquished their rivals, factions seem to linger at the football association. 

The recent reports from Lekidi are that the new regime dubbed ‘Servants of Football’ is moving quickly to finish off the remnants of the football administrators with allegiances to the vanquished Tebogo Sebego regime. The last known members of the Sebego regime are said to be constantly looking over their shoulders. The current regime is tying loose ends especially in the BFA National Executive Committee.

Masego Nchingane, a well-known Sebego regime lieutenant is the only remaining NEC member from the ‘Friends of football’ regime. However, speculation is that the Letshwiti camp is doing all in its power to charm the loyal Nchingane into switching allegiances to their side. 

Source close to the BFA said Nchingane finds himself in a peculiar situation and his future in football administration hinges on whether he switches to the Letshwiti regime or not. The Team Letshwiti insiders reveal that the former NEC additional member (women category) Suzie Montsho was allegedly forced out of her position at Lekidi. Montsho was part of the Sebego regime and her departure gave Servants of football an opportunity to co-opt their preferred candidate, Tshepo Mphoeng into the position.

The casualties are not only at Lekidi house as shockwaves of the clean-up campaign are felt in all BFA regions. One of the targets of the Servants of football is Kweneng regional chairman Loago Raditloko. The Kweneng regional chairman was known to be part of the friends of football faction led by former president Sebego. 

BG Sport has it in good authority that the Letshwiti camp served Secretary General Rapula Gaotlhobogwe and first division chairman Mpezeni Sambandawe with letters of suspension pending disciplinary hearing for misconduct. However, two were not found guilty of any charges and were later reinstated.

Another target of the Servants of football is the BFA Southern region chairman Lesego Leaketsa who was allegedly pushed out of office. Leaketsa who was with Team Sebego ahead of the BFA AGA is reported to have already left office. Leaketsa was re-elected at the regional level ahead of the BFA AGM. The former chairman of Southern regional association was also a regional block representative during the previous administration. There are 17 BFA regions and four blocks around the country.

The former Southern regional chairman is the longest serving member. He was elected in 2008 and has served as BFA NEC member since 2014. Leaketsa however refuted allegations that he was pushed out, and claims he voluntarily resigned from his post. “I have commitments which keep me away from the region for quite some time, I realised that the region will suffer a lot during my absence. I tendered my resignation and due process took place for my deputy to ascend to the chairmanship,” Leaketsa said.