Poor state of athletics blamed on former bosses

ATHLETICS Namibia Secretary General Elizabeth Ujarura Kamutuezu blamed former administrators of the body for the current poor state of affairs in the once flourishing code.

AN is currently not allowed to send any athletes to take part in any international event, nor is it supposed to hold any local event, after the Namibia Sport Commission (NSC) discovered that its financial and progress reports were not in order. The NSC earlier this month decided to investigate the affairs of the code after its financial reports were still not submitted to the Commission after deadlines to do so passed in June already.Kamutuezu told The Namibian Sport yesterday that the former administrators, who were in charge before the Congress in November last year, “should be blamed for the current mess which we are sitting with now”.She said the body was not in a stable financial position when she took over with president Alpha Kangueehi in November last year and they were not prepared to take the blame for the current poor state of affairs, especially on the financial front.NSC Chief Administrator Rusten Mogane decided to take action on what he terms lack of financial accountability and basic administrative skills.Kamutuezu said although AN is in the process of submitting its financial reports to the auditors, there was no proper handing-over of power from the previous regime, meaning the new administrators had to start from scratch.She also lashed out at the NSC for being unfair, claiming that it was not willing to bring all the parties together to “find out the truth”.”If we are under investigation for our poor show, why don’t they bring everybody together to find out what happened,” she asked.She admitted that although the financial reports were late, she believes that all the supporting documents will be submitted to the NSC for verification.Meanwhile, Acting AN treasurer Theo ‘Bafana’ Tjiueza has admitted that the statements are not yet with the auditors, saying they would hand them in this morning.He also admitted that some supporting documents were still missing, “but hoped to submit all that is required to the auditors”.Tjiueza resigned as the secretary general of the body earlier this year, but was apparently asked by Kangueehi to stand in as acting treasurer until the next executive meeting.Tjiueza has not received a letter to confirm his position with the body.Meanwhile, the parent of an athlete, Bernard Kaanjuka, has stated in a letter to The Namibian Sport that Kangueehi should step down, “as he is killing the beautiful sport”.”We are sitting with children at home with broken hearts, not willing to participate in your circus again,” the letter stated.Kaanjuka said he was disappointed with the self-centred approach towards athletics.”It is time to relinquish your role to someone who will conduct himself in an ethical and professional manner.Please do the honourable thing now and resign before you are forced to do so,” said Kaanjuka.The NSC earlier this month decided to investigate the affairs of the code after its financial reports were still not submitted to the Commission after deadlines to do so passed in June already.Kamutuezu told The Namibian Sport yesterday that the former administrators, who were in charge before the Congress in November last year, “should be blamed for the current mess which we are sitting with now”.She said the body was not in a stable financial position when she took over with president Alpha Kangueehi in November last year and they were not prepared to take the blame for the current poor state of affairs, especially on the financial front.NSC Chief Administrator Rusten Mogane decided to take action on what he terms lack of financial accountability and basic administrative skills.Kamutuezu said although AN is in the process of submitting its financial reports to the auditors, there was no proper handing-over of power from the previous regime, meaning the new administrators had to start from scratch.She also lashed out at the NSC for being unfair, claiming that it was not willing to bring all the parties together to “find out the truth”.”If we are under investigation for our poor show, why don’t they bring everybody together to find out what happened,” she asked.She admitted that although the financial reports were late, she believes that all the supporting documents will be submitted to the NSC for verification.Meanwhile, Acting AN treasurer Theo ‘Bafana’ Tjiueza has admitted that the statements are not yet with the auditors, saying they would hand them in this morning.He also admitted that some supporting documents were still missing, “but hoped to submit all that is required to the auditors”.Tjiueza resigned as the secretary general of the body earlier this year, but was apparently asked by Kangueehi to stand in as acting treasurer until the next executive meeting.Tjiueza has not received a letter to confirm his position with the body.Meanwhile, the parent of an athlete, Bernard Kaanjuka, has stated in a letter to The Namibian Sport that Kangueehi should step down, “as he is killing the beautiful sport”.”We are sitting with children at home with broken hearts, not willing to participate in your circus again,” the letter stated.Kaanjuka said he was disappointed with the self-centred approach towards athletics.”It is time to relinquish your role to someone who will conduct himself in an ethical and professional manner.Please do the honourable thing now and resign before you are forced to do so,” said Kaanjuka.