The North-East First Division (NEFD) Stream replaced its leadership with an interim committee at Rundu on Saturday, six days before the Namibia Football Association (NFA) elective congress.
The elections took place after 10 of the 12 clubs playing in the division urgently petitioned the NFA last month to commission elections.
This was due to an deadlock between the NEFD members and its leadership at a consultative meeting on 7 October.
Rundu Chiefs Football Club supremo Haindongo Agripa was elected NEFD chairperson, deputised by Benediktus Munango of United Stars.
The other members are Johannes Ndeutapo of Omuthiya United and the mayor of Omuthiya, who was elected as treasurer, Ernesto Joy (public relations officer), Nestor Shindimba (secretary), while Daniel Namwira retained his position as league administrator.
“Our aim is to take the stream forward in terms of increasing the teams from the stream qualifying to the premier league and in terms of mobilising resources for the stream in terms of money. We also want to make sure that football is run in a fair manner,” Haindongo told The Namibian Sport following the elections.
He said the committee will make sure to fulfil its mandate and to carry the stream forward.
“We want to upgrade the football in the division and make sure that the division is properly run and to promote the sport,” Haindongo said.
“And the other thing is that the northeastern stream does not have a constitution and that is one of the things we want to implement so that we can go forward.”
Outgoing NEFD chairperson Shaya Mupiri said that the interim committee was elected to take part in the upcoming NFA elections.
“We are supporting the interim committee and initially that is what we proposed to happen. It’s just that our members could not accept the dynamics of the elections because the constitution of the NFA makes provision for notice of elections to be sent out at least two months,” said Mupiri.
Quizzed about the division’s preferred candidate at the upcoming NFA elective congress on Friday, Haindongo said: “All we want is free and fair elections, that’s all I can say for now.”
The division’s new treasurer Ndeutapo said the clubs should strive to improve their operations in order to tap into the new-found interest in domestic sport.
“As we have seen in recent times, sport especially football, has been attracting a lot of people if it’s run properly and professionally,” Ndeutapo said.
“So, it’s very important that we focus on each and every club to have proper structures in place. There should be no reason why there should be no proper facilities,” he said.
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