Dube warns Highlanders against divisive elections

FORMER Highlanders chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube has cautioned the club against allowing its electoral processes to create divisions, saying the burden of leadership as Bosso approaches its centenary should be to unite members rather than drive them apart.

Highlanders have experienced periods of division around elections in the past, with contests for leadership sometimes leaving factions and disagreements that have continued beyond the voting process.

With the club approaching its 100th anniversary, Dube believes those seeking to lead Bosso must be conscious of the responsibility that comes with the occasion and avoid turning elections into battles that weaken the institution.

“The burden of leadership @100yrs is not only identifying the problem and framing the central issue for debate, but uniting members rather than dividing them,” Dube said.

His comments come against the backdrop of the often-passionate nature of Highlanders’ internal politics, where leadership contests have historically attracted strong opinions from members and supporters.

Dube warned against adopting campaign tactics associated with political contests, arguing that such an approach could deepen divisions within the club.

“Beware of the divisive nature of mirroring campaign for political office. The results of this are a house sinking for lack of unity,” he said.

For Dube, the central issue is therefore bigger than who wins or loses an election.

He believes those entrusted with leading Highlanders must be able to bring members together after identifying the challenges facing the club and provide a common direction.

The former CEO’s remarks also underline the danger of allowing electoral contests to become personal or factional, particularly at a time when Highlanders is looking towards its centenary.

Bosso’s 100-year milestone presents an opportunity for the club to reflect on its history while also determining the kind of institution it wants to become in the next century.

But Dube’s warning is that this can only happen if the club remains united.

Past elections have at times exposed deep divisions within Highlanders, with competing interests creating tensions that have made it difficult for the club to speak with one voice.

The consequences of such divisions are not confined to boardrooms or meetings.

They can filter into the wider Highlanders family, affecting supporters, members and the club’s ability to collectively confront challenges.

Dube’s call is therefore for leadership candidates and members to approach the electoral process with the interests of Highlanders ahead of individual ambitions.

Rather than replicating the combative nature of political campaigns, he believes the club’s leadership should focus on debate that identifies problems while ultimately bringing people together around solutions.

As Highlanders approaches its centenary, that unity could prove just as important as the individuals who emerge to occupy leadership positions.

The challenge, according to Dube, is not merely to win an election, but to ensure that the process does not leave Bosso weaker than it was before the vote.