16 Nov 2022

Tumiso ‘Chillaeza’ Rakgare, the minister in charge of the sport portfolio, on Tuesday evening proved that he has what it takes to be leading the nation’s athletes.

He scored four goals for the Cabinet team as it defeated Parliament 6-3.

The football match between Team Cabinet dubbed A Re Chencheng (Let Us Change) and Parliamentarian team nicknamed Re Mmogo (We Are Together) was meant to raise awareness against gender based violence (GBV).

Cabinet, coached by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, and Parliament, led from the bench by their mentor, Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Phandu Skelemani, seemed to be matching each other for most of the game, until late on when the executive outshone the legislators.

Rakgare’s four goals plus those from Karabo ‘Socraat’ Gare and Lemogang ‘Lems’ Kwape earned Team Cabinet the six goals, while Mpho ‘Chomi Ya Bana’ Balopi, scored a hat trick for  Team Parliament.

Rakgare’s deputy in his ministerial office, Buti Billy, was another standout player for the entire match, his touches in the middle of the park were exceptional, ‘making the ball do the running’ as they say in football parlance.

Team Parliament were the first to open the scoring early in the first half. Balopi, skilled in taking the ball to the opponent scored early on, only for Rakgare to respond with a great goal, dribbling the defence before calmly picking a spot to equalise.

Balopi struck again soon after with a good shot that left Cabinet goalkeeper Mabuse ‘Hotstix’ Pule flatfooted as Parliament went 2-1 up.

With Vice President Slumber ‘Slumbisto’ Tsogwane shouting instructions from the touchline, Cabinet pushed numbers up looking for the equaliser but found it hard to get past Parliament defender, Polson ‘Jagas’ Majaga.

Midway through the first half Parliamentarians’ John ‘Trump’ Thite was injured and had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance, the only sore moment of an otherwise exciting evening.

Cabinet equalised after Rakgare was brought down in the box and a spot kick was awarded.

Billy took a penalty, struck the post, only for Rakgare to score the rebound as Cabinet levelled the score to 2-2.

Before the break, substitute Gare scored with a brilliant goal from distance, a lob over Parliament goalkeeper Tumisang ‘GC’ Healy that flew into the net.

Into the second half, Rakgare got his hat trick, giving Cabinet a 4-2 breathing space before Balopi reduced the deficit to 4-3.

It then seemed that the legislators had found their equaliser. Balopi typically advanced with the ball, Kwape intercepted before Sam ‘Samito’ Brooks scored what looked like a legitimate equaliser that was unfairly disallowed apparently for offside.

It would soon be game, set and match, Rakgare scoring a fifth goal, before Kwape added the sixth, as Cabinet earned the 6-3 triumph.

Such football games have been a constant feature since the immediate post-independence period.

Photographs of Presidents Sir Seretse Khama, QKJ ‘Ball Plus Man’ Masire, Festus ‘LeFesto’ Mogae, Seretse Khama Ian ‘Super’ Khama and the incumbent ‘Sisiboy’ Masisi chasing the pigskin bear testament to this and make Botswana a unique country in this regard.

This time, the game had a huge social activism role, as men were rallied to support the cause against GBV by their national and community leaders from Cabinet and Parliament through the beautiful game, football. ENDS