President: Dr Motsepe’s promise to new CAF Member Associations

South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe gestures during a media briefing as he delivers his CAF Presidency strategy ahead of the upcoming CAF Presidential elections, in Sandton, South Africa, February 25, 2021. [REUTERS/ Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo]

Newly elected CAF President Patrice Motsepe will tour all the 54 CAF Members Associations in the first 12 months in office.

CAF currently has 56 member associations: 54 full members, while Zanzibar and Réunion are associate members.

The South African billionaire was on Friday elected the new football boss, unopposed, during the body’s elective congress held Friday, in Rabat, Morocco. He will be the seventh person to occupy the position.

Augustin Senghor, Ahmed Yahya and Jacques Anouma all withdraw from the race.

He takes over the overall management of football in Africa from Ahmad Ahmad who was barred from standing over corruption allegations.  

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday shortened Ahmad’s five-year suspension to two years and also reduced his fine to 50,000 Swiss francs (nearly Sh5.4 million).

In this file photo dated Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, British entrepreneur Richard Brenson, left, speaks to Patrice Motsepe and his wife Precious Makgosi Moloi before the funeral service for former South African President Nelson Mandela in Qunu, South Africa. [AP Photo/Felix Dlangamandla, FILE]

Motsepe, who becomes the seventh person to occupy the position, has promised to tour the entire continent in the first of his four-year term, a move that is expected to take Cairo operations closser to the people.

“I spoke to some of the FA presidents and one of them said to me that the last time Caf president went to his country was in 2003.

“I will be visiting every single member country in the first nine to 12 months. It is important to engage with you in your country and to talk about the challenges in your country…to meet with the private sector and the political leaders in every country and talk about how we implement.

“There is going to be a lot of traveling in the first six to 12 months will indeed lay the foundation for the long-term success of African football.”

Some of the changes proposed by the new boss is an increase in the frequency of meetings with member associations.

“I don’t think a meeting once a year with members is efficient…my thinking is that will have to meet at least twice a year with all the FA presidents and talk about what needs to be done and a clear understanding of what needs to be done.”

In this file photo dated Tuesday, July 17, 2018, former US President Barack Obama, right, shakes hands with Patrice Motsepe, as he arrives at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, to deliver the 16th Annual Nelson Mandela Lecture. [AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, FILE]

"We need to make sure we stabilize the financial position of Caf and put it in a significant and healthy position and objective indeed is to make sure that our financial position…in the medium to long term, we can look at the reports that give more confidence.

Motsepe, who will step down as Mamelodi Sundown chairman challenged the member associations to ensure that Africa qualifies more teams to the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa withdrew from the race for the FIFA Council Member for Anglophone.

Nigerian FA boss Amaju Pinnick and his Malawian counterpart Walter Nyamilandu to battle for the other slot reserved for English-speaking Africa countries. Motsepe will take the other slot reserved for English speakers at FIFA.