. . . As Mahao faces battle for presidency in Maseru

MASERU — Veteran football administrator and former A Division management committee (ADMACO) member, Qamako Mahao, will battle for the presidency of the Maseru District Football Association (Difa) in elections scheduled for Saturday.

Mahao will lock horns with current Difa president Mthusi Letsie.

Letsie on Tuesday confirmed to the Lesotho Times that he will be defending his seat in the Saturday elections set for Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena.

Mahao said the current Difa executive committee had failed to develop football.

“There is need for a change, our development structures have been neglected and the standards have also continued to decline,” Mahao said.

“Our vision is to improve football at grassroots level, because this is the very critical stage of football that I feel needs more attention,” Mahao, who is also the Likhopo team manager, said.

Another former ADMACO member, Mosebo Motsoasele, has also expressed a desire to return to football administration.

“I am really concerned with the declining standards of football in the country,” Motsoasele said.

Motsoasele didn’t mince his words in attacking the Lesotho Football Association national executive committee over the manner it has run football in recent weeks.

He said there is need to repair the broken trust between the supporters and the association if the country is to realise its full potential.

The former ADMACO spokesperson said he is not only eying a place in the DIFA executive, but also in the Lefa national executive committee.

“Lefa is being mismanaged and it is not surprising that the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO) is investigating the association,” he said.

“Honestly if I was a member of the executive committee I would have resigned a long time ago because I would have failed the country and the development of football,” Motsoasele said.

Meanwhile, current DIFA president Letsie said he is happy with the progress that has been made under his leadership.

“I’m pretty happy with the developments and improvement I have seen during my tenure. We have brought a lot of changes and improved the structures of football at the district level,” he said.

Letsie added: “At the moment we have an on-going countrywide competition sponsored by Population Services International Lesotho (PSI) and it has helped a lot in unearthing young talent.”

He said Lesotho Funeral Services had also come on board as one of their sponsors.

Letsie said he feels they deserve a chance to continue with their good work as they have brought more stability in the lower division leagues.

“We have trained the coaches and the teams’ officials, everybody now understands the rules and regulations that govern the game better and the leagues have been sailing well,” Letsie said.

Letsie announced that his vice-president, Metsing Mofosi, will also be seeking re-election along with public relations officer, Ben Pofane, and ‘Mualle Mafaesa.