JJ Doëseb pushes for freedom of expression

By: SHEEFENI NIKODEMUS

NAMIBIA Football Association (NFA) vice presidential candidate Johnny Johnson Doëseb told The Namibian Sport yesterday that “the Namibian Constitution does not prohibit me from talking to anyone”, in response to Otjozondjupa region’s football chairperson Roger Kambatuku’s “meddling” allegations.

Doëseb, who is also the Namibia Premier League’s (NPL) chairman, said the Namibian Constitution allows him to associate with whomever he wishes, following yesterday’s verbal assault by Kambatuku.
Kambatuku claimed that “NPL officials, specifically their chairman JJ Doëseb,” were interfering “in our regional affairs by trying to organise meetings with our members with the aim of destabilising our region”.
“He does not warrant a reply,” retorted Doëseb, denouncing his aggressor’s comments as elementary politicking and adding that his camp would not be drawn into the argument. “I don’t have any reply to that.”
Kambatuku claimed that Doëseb was treading on unconstitutional ground and that the only body with a mandate of calling a meeting of the teams, is the Regional Executive Committee. However  Doëseb said that he had been contacted by team representatives from the regions who are eager to “hear our election manifesto” which, along with presidential candidate Ranga Haikali, he launched in Windhoek last month. The two entrepreneurs are up against incumbent NFA president John Muinjo and his deputy Kornelius Kapenda, whose reign they dubbed as needing “improvement” if domestic football is to prosper.  
The presidential race has been reduced to a two-horse-race after the withdrawal of Muinjo’s former deputy, Dr Korbinian Viscaya Amutenya. Franz Mbidi from the Oshana region is the other vice presidential candidate.
Kambatuku’s outburst is considered - in football quarters - as part of the reigning regime’s tactics to discredit their opposition’s campaign, ahead of the NFA’s October 2 congress.

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