Likuena players up in arms | Sunday Express

Mikia Kalati

MASERU ? Likuena players are up in arms against the Lesotho Football Association (Lefa) claiming that the embattled association owed them camping allowances.
The players claim that Lefa had not fulfilled its promise to pay them camping allowance after their goalless encounter with Sudan a fortnight ago.
Lefa, the players complain, have only paid them M1 300 each in bonuses raised through the gate takings.
Players who spoke to the Sunday Express on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal said they have appealed to Lefa to take their welfare seriously.
?We are yet to receive our camping allowances that were supposed to have been given to us last Monday and no clear explanation was made to us,? said one of the senior players.
The players appealed to the football governing body to respect and take their welfare seriously if the team is to perform well.
?Our well being as players should always be made first priority, we deserve to be treated with respect as it is done in other countries, otherwise the team will forever be under performing,? he said.
Players? complained two days after concerned supporters of the national squad, Likuena, held a protest march against Lefa.
On Thursday, a group of about 30 concerned supporters handed over a petition to Lefa demanding the entire executive committee to resign.
Their complaints were mainly on the welfare of the players and lack of clear policies regarding the allowances of players which have led to unnecessary dismissal of key players on the eve of important matches.
Lefa?s spokesperson, Baba Malephane, defiantly told the supporters that the executive committee would remain in office until the association holds the elective conference in August.
This paper has been reliably told that the senior players who took the association to task over bonuses and allowances will be axed in the coming matches.
The Lefa?s acting CEO, Mokhosi Mohapi, told the Sunday Express that the delay to pay camping allowances was caused by a mistake in the calculation when the payment was prepared.
?I had a meeting with some of the senior players to explain the situation to them and surely by next week they will get their allowances,? Mohapi said.
Meanwhile, the association also issued an apology to the newly appointed Sports Minister, Thesele ?Maseribane following last week comments by the executive committee member Thabo Pule in the Sunday Express over the withdrawal of the under 20 team Makoanyane XI from the upcoming Caf youth Under-20 champions qualifiers.
?With regards to the referred statement made last week, the Lesotho Football Association admits that there was a bit of negligence in the manner in which the matter was presented to the paper.
?The Lesotho Football Association however wishes to earnestly apologise to the Honourable Minister of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation Mr Thesele ?Maseribane and the Ministry of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation and the Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission for whatever inconvenience that may have been or may be caused by the article,? a statement from Lefa said.
Pule, a member of the Lefa executive committee, has expressed his hopes that ?Maseribane?s appointment as sports minister is good for the financially troubled association.
Pule said he was hopeful that ?Maseribane would help end Lefa?s financial maladies.

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