Extension Gunners’ chairman, William Maboane, has called on their supporters to come with level heads at their special general meeting to be held at Lobatse Civic Centre today.
The meeting is expected to be full of fireworks following some of the negative things, which have taken place at the club this season. It is said that top of the agenda would be the recent mass resignation of some of the club’s executive committee members.
Almost a fortnight ago, Gunners’ officials Odets Langoane, Tapela Boti, Keorapetse Kgasa, Johannes Cotzee, Abdul Kgengwenyane and Mosimanegape Kgolele resigned, shocking the Gunners’ family. In their letter, they claimed that they could no longer continue working with Maboane whom they accused of running the club on his own. After a lengthily meeting with one of the club’s elders, Rashid Chopdat, the rest of the committee members, except Boti and Langoane, made a U-turn.
Since then, Gunners’ membership have been confused, not knowing what is happening at their club.
“The main reason we’ve called the meeting is to update the general membership on the things which have been happening at the club. There is no doubt that we’ll address the recent resignation of some of the executive members. The supporters deserve to know what could have led to their resignation and why some of them have decided to withdraw and continue serving Gunners,” said Maboane.
The Gunners’ boss admitted that it will not be wrong if the club’s supporters have lost confidence in them almost a year after they were elected into the office. ┬á
“There is a lot which has happened this season but I still maintain that our main problem at Gunners is the warring factions. If we can bring to an end these factions and work towards the improvement of the team that would be better.┬á As a person who is objective, I feel I still have a lot to offer to Gunners but we need to pull in the same direction,” added Maboane.
He pointed out that it is important for the supporters to focus on the issues which will benefit the club at the end of today. He said in the future, Gunners’ supporters have to be updated on regular basis concerning the future of the team.
“We have to be transparent in the manner in which we run the club. We have to be accountable and honest if Gunners is to progress,” he continued. Maboane said that there are lots of people who want to invest in Gunners but they have been distanced by the negative publicity the club has been receiving. He said that those who think they have Gunners’ interests at heart and continue bringing it down is not helping their cause.
“If we can pull in the same direction, the better. Gunners is a big club but I’m worried that there are people within the club who are killing it,” he said. Maboane was recently voted into the Botswana Premier League committee as a treasurer, a post which he says shows that Premier League teams have seen potential in him.
“There is no doubt that I’m capable to serve this beautiful game,” said Maboane.
