17 Nov 2015

As the national football team keeps frequenting the new Francistown Sports Complex to host different teams for the FIFA qualifiers games that will be held in 2018 in Russia, this brings along opportunities that benefit locals.

Besides that locals get to see national team players and interact with them, hawkers also get to benefit monetary wise.

One of the hawkers who is into food catering, Kitso Gamba said the games accord him a market opportunity. He stated that when there is a game he prepares porridge and braai meat to sell to spectators.

Gamba said the criteria of tossing that  was used to select hawkers to sell  their goods at the stadium was ideal, however, he said he wished another measure could be tried so that the same people do not keep benefiting.

“A lot of street vendors make profits on activities such as this, and I wish a register could be kept so that those who previously benefited should give others a chance as well,” he said.

He lamented that one of the challenges is that of less security outside the stadium where some of them operate.

His wish is that such games and some of the local leagues should be hosted more often as the activities keep them engaged and hence avoiding anti-socio behaviors.

Another hawker, Shiyani Bagai also revealed that the games have accorded her an extra mile that boosted the profits margins of her business.

Bagai specialises in selling Zebras merchandise such as gowns, bracelets, cups, vuvuzelas, head gears, flags and many more. She designs some of the items and orders some from local shops.

Bagai initially started her business selling items such as sweets, airtime and other things. She then shifted to the Zebras merchandise as the items sell faster, adding that she first started when Zebras hosted Burkina Faso for the AFCON games.

With the support of the national team overwhelming and each supporter wanting to be seen with such items to express their passion toward the team, Bagai was convinced she will not miss a step.

“All the games by the national team that have played here have significantly boosted my business, they have accorded me a lucrative market as I always make impressive profits,” she said.

Bagai noted that the merchandise sells at an alarming rate when the game is left with some few days to kick start.

She also said though she only makes massive sales once in a while she has decided that while waiting for the next game she buys some raw materials and designs more  items such as gowns, head gears and others at her home.

Bagai said she usually sells her items from home but when there is game taking place  she moves to the Francistown Central Business District so as to reach more customers.

Francistown seems to be the second home for the national team and supporters here must have been dying inside to prove their love for the team. 

It is like none wants to be left behind, the young and the old are always seen in a high mood, not even the traffic jam caused by the ongoing construction of the roads in the city can halt them to proceed to the sports complex that is also always packed to the brim.

Moreover the team also never gets to disappoint as it always leaves them injected with more happiness. Ends