Congratulations are in order to Botswana Football Association (BFA) President Maclean Letshwiti after being elected Confederations of Africa Football (CAF) Executive Committee Member.
The BFA president was elected at the CAF elective congress in Rabat, Morocco this past Friday.
Letshwiti’s election to CAF’s high table has been met with some jubilation and disappointment within the local football fraternity.
Commenting on the BFA president’s win, football administrator Solomon Ramochotlhane says it is all good news for Botswana.
“It is always good to have someone from the country representing us at these high decision-making structures,” Ramochotlhwane opines.
The Green Lovers football club chairman says with Letshwiti now sitting on CAF’s Executive Committee, the country will be privy to all developments within CAF.
“His victory is not a victory for himself but for the whole country. We need to strive to always have people representing us at different structures of football,” says Ramochotlhwane.
Meanwhile, one analyst, commenting on anonymity, opines that ‘Letshwiti has joined CAF for his own personal benefits as a business man and not for the interest of Botswana football.’
“Truth is Letshwiti does not have any interest in what happens to our local football. Even being part of the CAF Executive Committee is all for his personal benefit,” he says.
Pointing to Letshwiti’s campaign profile, the commentator says he mentions nothing about Botswana football but rather his own personal achievements.
According to the campaign profile, the BFA president describes himself as ‘a revered trailblazer, with an incredible knack for perfectionism, having served as member of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, member of Organizing Committee for the Africa Cup of Nations, member of COSAFA Executive Committee as well as Chairman of COSAFA Legal and Statutes Committee. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, held in Russia I also served as a member of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.’
The commentator says the profile ‘has silently stated what he thinks of Botswana football hence he never included any achievement he has with the BFA.’
He says apart from running and winning two terms in office, Letshwiti has done nothing for our local football.
“All this shows that he has also not convinced himself on what he wants to do in Botswana football,” he says.
“It’s time to bring in new ideas, new faces, progressive thinking, and most importantly, progressive action,” said Letshwiti in his profile.
He says with his new power and position, he sees Letshwiti falling off the BFA Presidency as his errors will now be openly demonstrated to the whole of Africa to see.
