Malesu targets BNOC presidency
The search for the new Botswana National Olympic Committee president just got a lot more interesting. This week outgoing BFA Chief Executive Officer Ookeditse Malesu declared his interest to contest for the BNOC top position scheduled for the end of October. This will not be the first time Malesu tries his luck at the top seat.
Malesu is expected to battle it out with Tebogo Lebotse Sebego, Botsang Tshenyego, France Mabiletsa and Daniel Molaodi. Malesu lost to the incumbent president Negroes Kgosietsile some four years ago. The former Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) president recently revealed that he has backing from about 12 leaders of sport associations who called and asked him to contest for the top position.
“I was initially asked to stand for senior vice president, but I received three calls on Saturday. On Sunday I got more calls requesting me to contest for the top seat,” claimed Malesu. Even though the former BFA boss joined the race rather close to the AGM, he is positive of making an impact during the watershed election that will usher in new leadership at BNOC.
Malesu resigned as BFA CEO about a week ago. Speculation around football circles suggested that Malesu might have been pushed from the BFA hot seat after about six months at the helm. Sun Sports is reliably informed that the government backs one candidate (known to this publication), while the other might be used as a political pawn to make way for the government favourite.
BNOC affiliates will be heading to an elective congress sometimes in October. Recently BNOC outgoing president Negros Kgosietsile challenged candidate to desist from pointing at his failures at the helm of the elite sport body. During a recent Ordinary General Assembly Kgosietsile encouraged affiliates to give women a chance to contest for top positions.
One of the top seat candidates and incumbent senior vice president Botsang Tshenyego lobby list is made of incumbent executive members, with an option to fill top positions of senior vice president when he ascends to presidency and the 2nd vice president held by veteran administrator Letsholo Letsholo. The other interesting race will be for Senior Vice president and first presidents.
Bernadette Moruti is one of the few and incumbent women who want to retain the seat at the Olympic movement. This was seen by some sports people as an orchestrated move to destabilise other camps. France Mabiletsa, Tebogo Lebotse-Sebego, Daniel Molaodi recently threw their hats into the presidential race. Kgosietsile recently announced that he will not be contesting for the position. The next BNOC president is expected to lead Team Botswana to the next Commonwealth (next year) and Olympic Games (2020).