MASERU — Linare chairman Sekhohola Nkhethoa and Lioli president Lebohang Thotanyana are leading the race for the job of premier league chairman, the Lesotho Times heard this week.
Elections to select the new league chairman which were set to be held this Sunday have however been postponed because not all clubs had registered for the polls.
Premier league communications and marketing manager, Lehlohonolo Matlosa, said the elections had been postponed because not all the clubs had registered.
So far only Bantu and Joy have received licenses from the Lesotho Football Association.
“The teams haven’t registered themselves so we can’t have elections. We will just present reports at the AGM,” Matlosa said yesterday.
Incumbent chairman Tlholo Letete is not seeking re-election at the conference because his side Mphatlalatsane were relegated from the Vodacom Premier League last season.
The new premier league chairman will however only hold the position for a year because the league will hold general elections next year.
Matlosa said the elections will be held at a critical time when the club licensing system is set to come into effect this season.
The Vodacom Premier League season kicks off on August 27.
The elections, which will see the end of Letete’s seven-year tenure as chairman, will witness contestants vying for the positions of chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, vice-secretary and treasurer.
“The new committee will play a vital role in supervising the licensing of premier league clubs,” Matlosa said in an earlier interview.
“Every team will come with their candidates and nominate a person for each vacant position.”
Matlosa said only LCS and Maduma would not be allowed to vote because they already had members in the committee.
Meanwhile the Lesotho Football Association (Lefa) says premier league teams have finally been paid their prize monies from last season.
Speaking to the Lesotho Times on Friday, Lefa facilities and administration manager Mokhosi Mohapi confirmed that the clubs had been paid.
“There was a problem of wording which was pointed out by the bank which I had to correct (that is what caused the delay),” Mohapi said.
Prizes for Matlama, Likhopo and Linare were withheld because the teams had not paid their fines from the Vodacom Soccer Spectacular staged in November.
Mohapi said Linare were due to be paid soon after they proposed that their fine be deducted from their prize money.
Talks with Matlama and Likhopo would continue, Mohapi said.
“But we don’t want to have long-term debts,” he said.
Mohapi also said referees and B and C Division teams had been paid.
However, Likhopo manager Qamako Mahao said they were unwilling to pay their M20 000 fine emanating from the Vodacom Soccer Spectacular tournament because they felt it was unfair.
Some B-Division teams have also not been paid because they had not provided their bank details, Mohapi added.
