CHAIRPERSON of the Caprivi Athletics Association, (CAA) Mr. Reagan Mikiti has rubbished the mother body, Athletics Namibia for failing to develop athletics in the Caprivi Region.
Mr. Mikiti told Caprivi Vision Sport that nothing have been achieved since the new committee for CAA that was elected on a congress held at Katima Mulilo Youth Resource Centre in February 2009, when he took over powers from his predecessor Mr. Phelem Katangu.
Current existing Committee under the leadership of Mr. Mikiti as the chairperson ,consists of six members that includes, Vice Chairperson Mr. Misheki Mubitelela, Mrs. Elsa Liyemisa as Secretary, Treasurer Mr. Cosmus Lyakuwa , Mr. Diergraat Jovi as an additional member and Mr. Katangu ( former chairperson).
He said CAA does no longer exist in the region because it has been discriminated by Athletics Namibia which is the mother body for all associations and clubs in Namibia.
“Our association doesn’t have a coach, since we elected Katangu as our coach he did not come back to us, I called him many times but only promises that he will come, I informed the mother body but they told me to talk to Mr. Katangu because he used money from Athletics Namibia for his trainings as an athletic Coach,” explained Mr. Mikiti
The CAA has three clubs which are Sibbinda, Zambezi and Ngoma which were formed long time ago by Mr. Ben Lumponjani the founder of this Association who is the current Caprivi Regional Sports Officer.
After the committee fails to call back Mr. Katangu they decided to appoint Mr. Lyakuwa (Treasurer) to act as the coach when they were still waiting for Mr.Katangu’s empty promises of coming back.
“Mr. Lyakuwa tried by all means to train our athletes but they were discouraged because when ever they are called to go for national trials they don’t go because of money, they used to request 15 participants but they only give us N$3000 and in that amount is where we should get transport, buy food for our athletes and pay for accommodation once we are in Windhoek, that made our region not to go for trials because we don’t want our athletes to suffer when they are there,” he lamented
In March this year four participants from CAA went for national championship that took place in Windhoek but none of them did well.
“There were supposed to be 15 but money did not allow us, other wise they could suffer, even those who went, they suffered but they did not worry because they were interested and they love athletics,” he said
Since his Committee was elected last year, only two tournaments were organised by his committee and the other one was organised by Mr. Martin Lukato, president of NDP party.
“Things have changed now, when Alpha Kanguehi was still the president for Athletics Namibia, people used to suffer but not how they are suffering now since the former sprinter Frank Fredericks took over as the president, Kanguehi used to arrange government cars to take people for trials if they are some events any where in Namibia and the participants used to eat once they are there, “stressed Mikiti
Asked whether he opened an account for the association which he promised when he got the power Mr. Mikiti pointed out that, “We opened an account through sponsorships from Caprivi Cash and Carry, Kamunu, Caprivi Pharmacy and Zambezi Shell who sponsored us T-shirts but its now closed because there is no money which is flowing in that account and the money that was in the account have been used when we are called for meetings in Windhoek,” he said
Mr.Mikiti failed to attend the conference that was scheduled for November 13, 2010 in Windhoek.
“ They invited us by writing a letter through the sport office which is in Katima, in the letter they requested us all who were invited to that conference to write what we wanted to go and discuss, we did it and faxed it and after that they sent a letter again that stated that if we go there we from Caprivi we will have to see everything for ourselves, so I don’t know why they did it like that because first they said if we pay our money for transport from here they will refund us , but later they changed after receiving our agenda,” explained Mr. Mikiti
However, the Caprivi Vision Sport approached the former Chairperson of CAA Mr. Phelem Katangu for comments on allegation that he did not return to the Executive Committee after his appointment as a Coach “Its true I did not come back to their committee and I’m not that kind of a person, I was taken out from my position of the Chairperson and they elected me as a Coach on my absence, I didn’t receive even the minute of their congress up to now, but I was just informed verbally that I was elected as a Coach. I will never turn my back to Alpha Kanguehi whom I worked with since 2002 when he became the President of Athletics Namibia at a congress that took place in Tsumeb, those people were just bribed to join Frank Fredericks that they will be given money, I will never join them, I will just join Athletics Namibia once their term is finished,” stressed Mr.Katangu
Mr. Katangu further said that during Mr.Kanguehi’s term all regions of Namibia did not face some problems which clubs are facing at the moment. “Everything used to be arranged properly, transport, accommodation and food was not a problem. Mr. Mikiti and his Committee betrayed me and they were my followers,” he lamented
Asked why he has been promising Mr. Mikiti that he will make some turns to him and meet the athletes, “ I used to promise him like that and he must note that its Sport politics, I can’t do that after betrayal, he must learn from his mistakes,” he further
Contacted for comments on that allegation that CAA was not getting any support from Athletics Namibia, Secretary General Mr. Frank Slibbert confirmed to Caprivi Vision Sport that his organisation does not have money and all clubs in the country are facing financial problem.
“This year we had almost four events and that include long distance plus track and field events, all regions had to struggle for themselves in order for their clubs to participate and each club should have 10 males and 10 women, besides that all clubs should be registered with Athletics Namibia but the clubs in the Caprivi Region are not even registered so I don’t know if those clubs have constitutions and each club should have that, In Caprivi I knew that they were athletic clubs but that was in the previous years but now I don’t know them, so I don’t have much to comment on that and in January 2011 we will be having some events in Oshakati and in March at Swakopmund so clubs should prepare,” explained Mr. Slibbert.
Meanwhile,the Caprivi Athletics Association (ACC) founder Mr. Ben Lumponjani who is currently the Regional Sport Officer in the Caprivi Region told the Caprivi Vision Sport that since the inception of the CAA he has not faced any problems and his participants were always attending events that used to take place in the country.
“We did not face any problems with my Executive Committee and everything was in order, we even used to go and attend meetings in Windhoek, these problems which are affecting clubs now are caused by the mother body of Athletics Namibia, Mr. Alpha Kangwehi when he was still the President everything was in order, transport, accommodation, food was not a problem and we did not miss even one event,” explained Mr. Lumponjani.
The CAA was found in the early 90s with the aim of promoting athletics in the region, “When we started, our athletes were serious and used to win when we go for National Championships or National trials,” he said.
On the existing Committee for CAA Mr. Lumponjani told this paper that he used to advice them to form new clubs and grab young athletes in schools in order to improve sport in the region and the Executive Committee to work hard.
“ I asked the Vice President of Athletics Namibia Mr. Linus Domingo to look on what is happening on athletics in the Country, I also urged him to change their plans and follow what Alpha Kanguuehi was doing when he was still the president from 2002 till 2008,”
Mr. Lumponjani appealed to all the people who are leading different sports in the region to work hard in order to show changes in what they are doing and to take the region to another level. He also called on the leaders in the region to do something to promote sport.
“I am very much happy with honorable Doreen Siyoka who sponsored the Bicycle competition and honorable Stanely Mutumba Simataa who sponsored Athletics, that was a good example and we want born Caprivians to do it also, by doing that we will be happy and our region will change,” he furthered.
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