I'm at peace - Mbidi

Former Namibia Football Association (NFA) president Frans Mbidi has vowed not to stand for the position again unless the football community asks him to do so.

Mbidi was dismissed by the NFA executive committee last year, amid an ongoing turf war within the association, which eventually led to an intervention by Fifa and the appointment of a so-called normalisation committee by the global football body.

“I am currently at peace with everything and will surely not force myself into any position unless the people want me.

“Like I said last year, I believe that it is in the hands of people to tell me that they still want me in that position or not.

“I am busy focusing on my businesses and also planning my life after all this,” Mbidi said.

At the beginning of last year, he expressed his desire to run for another term at the NFA elections that had been scheduled for December 2018, but were subsequently postponed amid the infighting.

The tussles, primarily between Mbidi and former NFA secretary-general Barry Rukoro, resulted into Fifa dismantling the NFA executive and appointing a normalisation committee to run the daily affairs of Namibian football until elections can be held to elect a new NFA executive.

The normalisation committee members will serve on a four-month contract basis.

The committee members are Hilda Basson-Namundjebo (chairperson), Franco Cosmos (vice-chairperson), Gabby Ahrens, Matti Mwandingi and Vivienne Katjiuongua.

Its mandate is to run the NFA's daily affairs and ensure that the members of the NFA organise and conduct elections.

Once the elections have been held at member level, the normalisation committee will organise and conduct elections for a new NFA executive committee.

The normalisation committee will also act as an electoral committee and none of its members will be eligible for any of the open positions on the NFA executive under any circumstances.



Committee composition questioned

Some in the country's football community have questioned whether the members of the normalisation committee have what it takes to help restructure the beautiful game, given that most of them have not been involved in football-related activities.

There are fears that the committee runs the risk of being influenced by those who are more familiar with football.

Mbidi, however, feels differently and welcomed the normalisation committee, saying they have the credentials to rescue football from all the troubles it is in.

He feels that they have good governance skills and will bring peace and stability to the football fraternity. “I do not think that the fact that many of them do not have a football backgrounds will complicate things.

“I remember that the president of Namibia once appointed advisors with limited backgrounds in their positions, but it worked.

“We must therefore not underestimate the individuals in the normalisation committee, because they are skilled and can bring good governance,” Mbidi said.



No anger

Mbidi also revealed that he has taken time to think things over and will continue living his life without hatred or anger.

This follows a year in which he and his colleagues at the football association were entangled in an ugly spat that brought football into disrepute.

“Well, I do not want to talk about any individual without his presence, but I can confess that I have made peace with what transpired and all the fights we had at the NFA.

“It is now time to make peace and move on with our lives.”

He also wished the Brave Warriors the best of luck with their upcoming crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifier next month against Zambia, which will determine whether they will play in the 2019 edition of the tournament in Egypt.

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa