Athletics Namibia plan indaba at Otjiwarongo

WINDHOEK – The on-going problems within Athletics Namibia (AN) will be discussed during an ‘indaba’ planned for this weekend at Otjiwarongo.

Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) chief administrator Rusten Mogane who is spearheading the meeting yesterday said that all stakeholders within athletics have been invited to the three-day event. Among the issues to be discussed are the date and the agenda for the long-awaited congress to be held later this year.Mogane added that all regions affiliated to AN as well as those that have not yet affiliated to the mother body, have been invited to attend the meeting aimed at finding a solution to the problems within the code.He said AN was responsible for inviting all the regions while his office will invite all other parties including individuals, sponsors and the media.However, neither Khomas Athletic Region chairperson Quinton-Steele Botes nor the region’s secretary-general Isack Hamata have received official notification or invitation to the meeting in Otjiwarongo.Botes said he received a telephonic invitation from AN executive member Mike Haimbodi but no agenda for the meeting was available.According to Botes, the indaba would just be a waste of time and money as no formal decision can be taken at such a meeting.Only a special congress can decide the future of athletics in Namibia, he said.The athletics union has not had an annual general meeting or congress since 2004 when the current executive committee members and council members were elected.Some regions have raised concern about the union’s finances that are in disarray as no financial statements have been audited since 2004.To make matters worse, the AN executive committee is without two very important positions of secretary-general and treasurer which renders the whole executive committee unconstitutional.Three regions have seemingly had enough of this and submitted votes of no confidence in the AN leadership in April 2006.The Khomas Athletics Region wanted the whole executive committee to be fired while the two other regions, Oshana and Caprivi wanted the president Alpha Kangueehi and former secretary-general Elizabeth Kamutuezu to go.Kamutuezu resigned on April 24, saying she could not see her way forward with AN.Also, no change has been forthcoming after the investigation that the NSC launched into the union in September 2005.Not even Sports minister John Mutorwa’s public statement about the state of affairs of athletics received any attention.Meanwhile, Kangueehi has also refused to communicate with the media, saying anything from his office would be communicated via press releases.- NampaAmong the issues to be discussed are the date and the agenda for the long-awaited congress to be held later this year.Mogane added that all regions affiliated to AN as well as those that have not yet affiliated to the mother body, have been invited to attend the meeting aimed at finding a solution to the problems within the code.He said AN was responsible for inviting all the regions while his office will invite all other parties including individuals, sponsors and the media.However, neither Khomas Athletic Region chairperson Quinton-Steele Botes nor the region’s secretary-general Isack Hamata have received official notification or invitation to the meeting in Otjiwarongo.Botes said he received a telephonic invitation from AN executive member Mike Haimbodi but no agenda for the meeting was available.According to Botes, the indaba would just be a waste of time and money as no formal decision can be taken at such a meeting.Only a special congress can decide the future of athletics in Namibia, he said.The athletics union has not had an annual general meeting or congress since 2004 when the current executive committee members and council members were elected.Some regions have raised concern about the union’s finances that are in disarray as no financial statements have been audited since 2004.To make matters worse, the AN executive committee is without two very important positions of secretary-general and treasurer which renders the whole executive committee unconstitutional.Three regions have seemingly had enough of this and submitted votes of no confidence in the AN leadership in April 2006.The Khomas Athletics Region wanted the whole executive committee to be fired while the two other regions, Oshana and Caprivi wanted the president Alpha Kangueehi and former secretary-general Elizabeth Kamutuezu to go.Kamutuezu resigned on April 24, saying she could not see her way forward with AN.Also, no change has been forthcoming after the investigation that the NSC launched into the union in September 2005.Not even Sports minister John Mutorwa’s public statement about the state of affairs of athletics received any attention.Meanwhile, Kangueehi has also refused to communicate with the media, saying anything from his office would be communicated via press releases.- Nampa