Leemisa Thuseho
THE Lesotho Taekwondo Association (LTA) yesterday failed to hold its general elections after the Lesotho Sport and Recreation Commission (LSRC) advised the association to postpone the elections due to Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The elective annual general meeting (AGM) was scheduled for yesterday at Setsoto Stadium.
LSRC public relations officer Teboho Rakhamo said the commission advised the LTA to postpone the elections following a late submission of their request to host the elections.
He said each association is expected to inform the LSRC a month before election date.
“We only received their request on the 9 July 2020 the election date was 18 July 2020,” Rakhomo said.
“They also requested us to provide them with our Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of which now that team’s operations are still under suspension because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Even if wasn’t because for the pandemic, they gave us little time to prepare.”
He said the commission was also obliged to explain to the commission how it would adhere to Covid-19 guidelines but it failed.
“Associations are allowed to have gatherings of less than 20 people and the gathering should be for less than an hour especially if they are using Setsoto Stadium.”
Although the LSRC had since advised the LTA to postpone the elections until such time when sporting activities would be allowed to resume, Rakhomo said if ever the LTA insists on hosting the elections and follow the right procedures, the LSRC would permit them.
Meanwhile, some LTA members have lodged a complaint before the LSRC and the Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC) accusing the current LTA leaders of failing to call for elections in March as per their constitution.
They say if the LTA had acted within the confines of the law, the elections could have been held before March when sporting activities were eventually suspended.
They also allege to have written countless times to the committee to push for elections. In response, the LNOC and LSRC have requested the LTA committee responds to the allegations.
Rakhomo said this will be done to ensure good governance in all associations’ dealings.
LTA public relations officer Sek’hok’he Molikoe said the LTA executive committee is considering taking the LSRC’s advice and wait until when it is safe to hold the
“As per the advice of LSRC, the new dates for the elections will be announced when things are back to normal,” Molikoe said.
On Thursday, the Sunday Express’ sister paper, the Lesotho Times, reported that the LTA’s presidency race would be between former president Moshoeshoe Molapo, Nthati Theko and Likhama Leuta.
Theko and Leuta are the current committee’s vice president administration and vice president technical respectively.
Current president Moorosana Nkesi will not contest after one term having come into power in 2017.