27 Sep 2016

President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama has officially launched Botswana’s giant flag, hoisted on top of the iconic Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited’s (BTCL) tower in Gaborone. President Khama launched, on Monday, the giant national flag, which is the biggest of all the national flags hoisted countrywide, as part of the build up to the country’s Golden Jubilee celebrations. 

The Botswana flag, President Khama said, was flying all over the country ‘and this, I believe, is not the largest flag in Gaborone only, but in Botswana as a whole.’ “We have seen flags on our lamp poles, lamp posts, vehicles and on what people are wearing. Really, it’s a joyous occasion. 

I’ve not seen any country celebrate its 50th anniversary as we are doing in Botswana. I would like to commend and congratulate the spirit in every one of you,” he added. To all those who had been fully engaged in the activities leading up to September 30, President Khama expressed hope that they would not collapse on exhaustion, just before the event. “But I think we are so motivated. 

There is a lot of Adrenalin pumping through our blood and we will certainly get there,” he added. Additionally, President Khama officially announced that all the national flags hoisted across the country as an indication of the country’s 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations would be brought down only on December 31, ‘because 2016 is the year that we are celebrating.’ “However, if you want to be truly patriotic, you are free to fly the flags forever,” said President Khama. 

President Khama also thanked BTCL management for having allowed the Corporation’s tower to be used to hoist the country’s giant flag and commended the organisation for launching its new brand recently. For his part, Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Mr Thapelo Olopeng, expressed the significance of the national giant flag saying it was the biggest flag, measuring 5 by 3.5 metres, to be hoisted in the city centre by way of celebrating the country’s 50th Anniversary of Independence. 

The Botswana flag, Mr Olopeng said, was a symbol of national identity and pride. Recounting the steps, Mr Olopeng said the journey started in 2013 when a big flag was hoisted at the National Stadium to mark the official count down towards the 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations. Since then, he said his ministry together with BTCL and other stakeholders who own communication towers, collaborated on a Flags on Towers initiative - where Botswana flag was hoisted on communication towers across the country. These flags, he said, were hoisted in all the areas with high towers across all the 16 districts as a build up to the 50th Anniversary of Independence.

 “This was a daunting task as some of the towers were found in very hard to reach places, but nevertheless it was done,” he said. So far about 733 national flags had been hoisted on communication towers in the 16 districts across the country. The sight of all these flags, he said, had raised awareness about the forthcoming Golden Jubilee celebrations among Batswana countrywide. 

Mr Olopeng described BTCL management and staff cooperation and support they gave his ministry as sheer patriotism. In his welcome remarks, BTCL acting managing director, Mr Anthony Masunga said,. “We are quite honoured at BTCL to be part of this momentous occasion and over and above that we will also be participating as a core sponsor when we usher in a beautiful movie: United Kingdom which coincides with the 50 years of independence celebrations.”

 Among the dignitaries that graced the event were; Ministers of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Kenneth Matambo, Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama and Education and Skills Development, Dr Unity Dow. ENDS