Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) last week suspended Botswana Motorsport Association (BMS) Vice President David Mashonja from all the code’s activities for five years following allegations of misconduct.
However, the association’s President Simon Modisaemang confirms the suspension but says the action was taken because Mashonja disobeyed an instruction given by the executive committee at a meeting that postponed the body’s AGM
Mashonja claims that Modisaemang attempted to block his trip to Morroco where there was a Federation International de Motor Cycle (FIM) Africa meeting by calling an executive meeting that was also attended by BNSC representatives on the date that Mashonja was supposed to depart to Morocco just to “bar” in him from going.
Mashonja said he received his letter of suspension from the BNSC upon his return from Morocco which “came as a shock to him”.
“I found it fit to attend the FIM meeting in Morocco as the vice president of BMS since the president himself showed no interest and I dug from my own pockets to serve and represent the country’s association as it is part of my responsibilities. When they heard that I was indeed attending the meeting in Morocco they went behind my back to try to discredit me from being recognised by FIM but I went and returned well,” he says.
“Before I left for Morocco I was informed of the meeting whose agenda was to plan and map a way forward for the Annual General Meeting that was supposed to be held the weekend before my trip with the knowledge that I would not be available,” he says.
The agenda of the meeting that Mashonja attended in Morocco was to discuss next year’s championships. The local bikers were outstanding at last year’s meet that was held in Kenya.
“I attended the meeting because I knew how important it was given the fact that we stood a chance to host next year’s championship and it was going to be inappropriate to have no representative,” he added.
Mashonja was suspended without any disciplinary hearing. The letter dated September 23 stipulates that he was found guilty as per Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) code of conduct Act No.30 of 2014.
Modisaemang said: “Yes, I can confirm that Mr. David Mashonja has been suspended by the Botswana National Sports Commission on the 23rd September 2016, following our meeting which was held on the 14th September at the National Stadium. The BNSC had called a meeting to come and get the update from the Executive Committee of BMS on the preparedness by BMS to host the scheduled AGM in the 17th September 2016 as it was our elective AGM. One should understand that BNSC is the presiding office for all sports codes in the country and they have been satisfied with all arrangement pertaining to the preparations for the AGM.”
“The AGM had been called on time as per the constitution and items on the agenda were sent through with a request for additional proposed items from the membership. The Audited Financials were not yet ready since the Internal Audit that had been initiated by BNSC was not complete due to non-submission of required documents from some members of the BMS executive.
He said it was then agreed that the AGM be postponed until further notice and a draft press release be prepared and be endorsed by all parties concerned. Further, nothing was to be communicated to any third party until the final draft had been agreed on by all members of the executive.
He said Mashonja was suspended basically for not adhering to the committee’s decision that nothing should be communicated until the final press release.
