Letsie eyes DiFA Maseru top post

NTHAKO MAJORO

MASERU – A-Division Management Committee (ADMCO)’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mothusi Letsie, is contesting for the First Vice President’s post in the upcoming elections of the District Football Association (DiFA) of Maseru. The elections take place this Sunday (July 19) in Maseru, with only the president’s post not going to be contested since it’s term of office is yet to end. If Letsie is elected to the post, it will be his second tour of duty in the association. He served in the DiFA before as president, from 2008-2012. Letsie, who during his term as DiFA president in the Maseru district made significant improvement in the running of the C and B-divisions was, however, beaten for the presidency’s post by Qamako Mahao.

The loss did not put him outside football administration for too long as he was appointed a member of the ADMACO the same year. He was further appointed as ADMACO’s PRO in the following season after the former holder of the position, Lehlohonolo Borotho, resigned due to family commitments. This is the position he still holds to date, and he says he is not resigning from ADMACO, whether he wins the DiFA Maseru elections or not. According to Letsie, being a member of ADMACO does not mean he will have to step down if he becomes the DiFA Maseru Vice President.

He said serving in the administration of the two bodies cannot be a contradiction. “ADMACO is just the committee while DiFA is the association. So I don’t see any contradiction if I continue to serve in the ADMACO and then again serve in the DiFA Maseru as Vice President,” said Letsie in an interview with Public Eye on Tuesday this week. He further said contesting for the DiFA’s post while he is already serving in the administration of football’ second-tier league in the country is not at all a demotion, “as others may consider it to be.” “Politically, ADMACO is not above the DiFA. Again, ADMACO is no longer represented at the (football) congress as it used to be (and hence why its members are appointed).”

Letsie further said in essence DiFA is even bigger than the Premier League Management Committe (PLMC), though he, however, admitted that practically both the PLMC and ADMACO are seen to be in the forefront of football administration compared to DiFAs “just because they are administrating top-leagues in the country.” “Yes, practically you can see that I am bigger than them (DiFA executive committee members) because I am serving country-wide while they only serve in the district. And I think that has given me exposure because I have worked at a high level and in a top division.” Letsie said even when it comes to football administration; A-Division is bigger B and C-Divisions.

He, however, said one of the reasons why he is looking to bounce back as DiFA Maseru member is because of he wants to improve football in the district. “I want to improve football in the Maseru district, having realised that there is no progress since I left. Things are still where they were when I was still there.” Letsie said one of things hampering football progress in the Maseru district is lack of sponsorship, which he said was never a problem during his time as the president of DiFA Maseru.

“I had Lesotho Funeral Services as a sponsor of DiFA Maseru during my time as the president, which is no longer the case – now the association has no sponsorship. The Lesotho Funeral Services stopped sponsoring DiFA Maseru when I left the office,” Letsie said. He further said: “So we will have to work hard to get sponsorships for DiFA Maseru. And that’s why I am saying they should elect Mothusi Letsie for the growth and development of football in Maseru.” Other candidates for DiFA Maseru’s First Vice President post are Sekonyela Mokhosi, Seipati Mama and Mpho Mahula.