Nghixulifwa retains boxing presidency

WINDHOEK – Kelly Nghixulifwa retained his position as Namibia Amateur Boxing Federation (NABF) president after elections held on Saturday at the Katutura Youth Complex.

Nghixulifwa stood for the post against former Namibian boxing great Joe Archer. Nghixulifwa won by five votes to four with one spoilt ballot after 10 regions voted.He has been president for 13 years now.Lemmy Geingob was re-elected as vice president after he beat George Mukwayima by seven votes to two and Archer’s one vote.Incumbent secretary-general Joe Kaperu also retained his title with six votes beating Benjamin Rebang who collected four votes.A new treasurer was elected in Patena Kandjengo who won by five votes out of 10, while three additional members were also elected.They are Stanley Tjozongoro, Elia Irimari and Ernst Pienaar.The executive committee’s term of office is two years.Thimo Haikondo was reappointed as head of the referees’ and judges’ commission, while Kennedy Muatara was appointed as head of the coaches’ commission.Despite the elections being described as free and fair by the NABF officials, some members felt that they will not bring any change in the management of the code.The members, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Nampa after the elections that the “corruption within the boxing office” would just continue.They claimed that they were intimated and openly victimised in the meeting for having spoken to the media about their grievances in the boxing code.The sources said they were called “elements” and were threatened with legal action and further intimidation by “people with power”.Strangely though, they said, the AGM would not have taken place if they had not gone to the media.They based their allegations of corruption on the fact that no financial documents have been tabled at the Annual General Meeting since the last AGM in 2002.NampaNghixulifwa won by five votes to four with one spoilt ballot after 10 regions voted.He has been president for 13 years now.Lemmy Geingob was re-elected as vice president after he beat George Mukwayima by seven votes to two and Archer’s one vote.Incumbent secretary-general Joe Kaperu also retained his title with six votes beating Benjamin Rebang who collected four votes.A new treasurer was elected in Patena Kandjengo who won by five votes out of 10, while three additional members were also elected.They are Stanley Tjozongoro, Elia Irimari and Ernst Pienaar.The executive committee’s term of office is two years.Thimo Haikondo was reappointed as head of the referees’ and judges’ commission, while Kennedy Muatara was appointed as head of the coaches’ commission.Despite the elections being described as free and fair by the NABF officials, some members felt that they will not bring any change in the management of the code.The members, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Nampa after the elections that the “corruption within the boxing office” would just continue.They claimed that they were intimated and openly victimised in the meeting for having spoken to the media about their grievances in the boxing code.The sources said they were called “elements” and were threatened with legal action and further intimidation by “people with power”.Strangely though, they said, the AGM would not have taken place if they had not gone to the media.They based their allegations of corruption on the fact that no financial documents have been tabled at the Annual General Meeting since the last AGM in 2002.Nampa