04 May 2023

Sports and arts are the future of the country and are worth investing in, says youth, gender, sports and culture minister, Tumiso Rakgare.

The minister noted that one could in a matter of seconds or a day accumulate what would normally take years and hard work to achieve.

Addressing a press briefing Wednesday May 3, Rakgare said Botswana was going ahead with the bid to host the 36^th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027 despite Namibia’s withdrawal from the joint bid. 

He congratulated the organisers of the recently held Forbes Under30 Africa Summit and FNB Botswana Golden Grand Prix.

He noted that elite track and field athletes from all over the world were in the country and that it was historic as it was the most televised event ever hosted by the country and the best attended sport event in recent history.

“While those firsts are important to our history, what is particularly key is that the event profiled Botswana internationally,” said Rakgare, adding that it did not only show the world that we were capable of hosting big international events, but it also shined the light on the country and its sovereignty.

Rakgare added that the country needed to host more international athletic events to showcase the talent of local athletes. 

“Everyone felt the euphoria that engulfed the national stadium this past weekend,” he said.

He noted that some of the athletes had made enough money to start a business or build a small room. 

He commended Glody Dube for initiating the race and that his ministry did not only contribute funds, but also availed resources such as transport and personnel as well as assisting in facilitating the event. He added that the ministry was involved because the grand prix was aligned to the government’s vision of making the country a meetings, conferences and exhibitions hub as espoused in vision 2036 and President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s Reset Agenda.

He said he was hopeful that the private sector would increase their involvement in future editions. 

He noted that the country had a high unemployment rate, but said it was not sustainable for government to continue as the largest employer. Ends