10 Mar 2020

Many nations often compete to host mega sporting events such as the World Cup and Olympic Games. Such events have the potential to leave a lasting legacy, be it socio-economic or cultural benefits.

This seems to resonate well with President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s vision looking at what he said in his State-of-the-Nation Address in November.

He stated that Botswana would strive to host more international sporting events to attract Foreign Direct Investment and develop the capacity of Batswana and create jobs.

 The President was guided by the available opportunities that Batswana could take advantage of in the sport industry to diversify the economy.

The country’s potential to host sporting events has already been demonstrated during the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Youth games and the Africa Karate Championships.

In appreciation of President Masisi’s efforts to revitalise the sports industry, Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho said the President, through the ministry responsible for sport, had demonstrated his unwavering support for sport.

He, however, said sport development in nature was a long-term process which required robust leadership and planning.

“The Masisi led-government is pushing for increased private sector participation in sport and perhaps while it is too early to judge, signs are that we may be headed in the right direction,” he said.

President Masisi recently appointed the youthful Tumiso Rakgare to the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development. Rakgare, a former sport journalist, has been seen as someone who could transform Botswana sport through his leadership.

Serufho said as they prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, they were getting unparalleled support from Minister Rakgare who shared the President’s vision of success for any team representing the country on the international stage.

According to Serufho, the youth ministry had become amenable to facilitating that sport may be funded from a development perspective.

This, he said, was a welcome development that should see the fortunes of the sport industry increasing in many fold.

Furthermore, he said government was seriously looking into review of sport policy and governance and if done properly, such should bode well for them.

“On the whole, things are looking quite bright for sport, and it is our hope that we should be able to position the sector to contribute meaningfully to tourism, the general economy and indeed as a means to many others,” he said.

Government on the other hand continues to develop sport infrastructure across the country to make the environment conducive for the promotion of sports and participation in recreation.

From the State-of-the-Nation address, a project aimed at providing basic sporting facilities to the rural and semi-urban communities where there is shortage of such facilities is currently underway.

The project is being implemented in Bobonong, Good Hope, Kanye, Kasane, Mmadinare, Moshupa, Rakops, Tonota, Tsabong and Tutume where over P50 million has been allocated for the 10 projects.

 In January this year, Botswana hosted the sixth nation’s beach volleyball tournament, where six countries were expected to take part, but only Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe competed.

Last month Botswana hosted CANA Zone IV Championships and over 300 swimmers, their coaches and officials from around 14 countries from the region such as Angola, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia and Zimbabwe descended on Gaborone. ENDS