MBABANE – Hhohho FA has approached the High Court in a bid to stop the fresh nomination process ordered by the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Electoral Committee.
The urgent application was heard this past Friday before Justice Mavuso, with the Hhohho Regional Football Association (HRFA) and 12 affiliated zonal leagues challenging the Electoral Committee’s decision to restart nominations across all Hhohho leagues.
The applicants are seeking, among other relief, an order interdicting the EFA Electoral Committee from convening or conducting nomination meetings scheduled for September 11, 12 and 13.
The matter stems from a complaint lodged by Manyisa United Football Club regarding the nomination process at the Nkhaba Zonal League on August 8.
According to the founding affidavit, HRFA had completed nominations across its leagues by August 13 and subsequently compiled and submitted the list of nominated candidates to the EFA Electoral Committee on August 18.
The affidavit states that Manyisa lodged its complaint at around 4pm on August 18, after nominations had already closed.
The HRFA argues that the EFA Electoral Committee exceeded its powers by directing that nominations be conducted afresh across all the region’s leagues.
The Times Sports Desk was made to understand that the association had met with the nominating officer after the nomination process to receive reports on the proceedings, acting in terms of Article 27 of the HRFA Constitution.
The association then compiled the list of nominated candidates and submitted it to the EFA for processing by the Electoral Committee.
The matter was subsequently referred to the Electoral Committee, which investigated the nomination process and heard HRFA’s explanation of how the nominations had been conducted.
The Electoral Committee initially recommended that the nominations be restarted in all Hhohho leagues.
However, HRFA challenged the recommendation before the EFA Appeals Committee, despite acknowledging that the document had been framed as a recommendation rather than a final decision.
According to the founding affidavit, the Appeals Committee agreed with HRFA that the Electoral Committee’s initial position was a recommendation and not a decision.
The affidavit further alleges that the Electoral Committee subsequently produced another report, which HRFA claims was circulated in some league WhatsApp groups before the Appeals Committee had delivered its verdict.
The applicants are now challenging the EFA’s September 8 communication directing that the nomination of executive members be started afresh across the Hhohho zonal leagues.
They argue that the Electoral Committee does not have the constitutional mandate to conduct nominations itself, maintaining that the responsibility rests with HRFA and its constituent leagues.
The applicants further contend that Article 27 of the HRFA Constitution gives the regional association authority over the nomination process.
They have also cited the manner in which the Manzini Regional Football Association conducted its own nomination process as an example of what they consider to be the correct procedure.
HRFA argues that allowing the fresh nominations to proceed would cause irreversible prejudice, particularly given the imminent election timetable.
The association is therefore asking the court to review and set aside the September 8 decision, declare the Electoral Committee’s directive ultra vires and affirm HRFA’s alleged constitutional authority to conduct nominations within its zonal leagues.
Justice Mavuso has set the matter down for arguments on November 5, 2026, with both parties directed to file their papers at least two weeks before the arguments.
The court proceedings come against the backdrop of uncertainty surrounding the HRFA elections, which had been scheduled for this past weekend.
The dispute began with the reported controversy at Nkhaba during the August 8 nominations, where the proceedings were disrupted and subsequently became the subject of a complaint by Manyisa United.
Leave a comment