BDP congress a bonus for Tonota businesses

Lebogang Mosikare | Friday July 7, 2017 15:30

 

TONOTA: While election of the party members to various party positions has taken centre stage, small businesspeople do not want to be left out.

They are waiting with huge anticipation for the bonanza that will be brought by the congress, which is expected to be the most competitive in the BDP’s history.

Early in the week, when the Mmegi crew visited Tonota, talk in the usually quiet village was about the BDP congress especially who will win the coveted position of party chairperson, which is pitting the Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi and the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Nonofo Molefhi.

When the Mmegi team arrived at the Tonota bus and taxi rank, food vendors were already in full swing waiting in anticipation for the congress to start on Friday. They told Mmegi that they have been invited to set up their stalls at the congress venue and its peripheries for free so that they can also capitalise on the bonus that will be brought by the BDP’s 37th elective congress.

Victoria Tshwenyego was elated that the BDP found it fitting to choose Tonota as the host of this year’s congress.  She said: “The congress has brought life to Tonota. Residents and businesses are bracing for the arrival of thousands of delegates and party supporters to the congress.

We hope to benefit from the congress handsomely.” Her business partner, Segametsi Natale echoed Tshwenyego’s sentiments.  Natale thanked the BDP for inviting small business traders to sell their wares for free. Transport operators at the bus and taxi rank also hope to profit from the brisk business that the congress will bring. A taxi driver Oratile Mabaila said even though he is not counting his chickens before his eggs hatch, he anticipates generating more profit during the congress.

“As taxi drivers we hope to have customers who will be coming from all over the country. We hope that residents, traders especially from the informal sector will also cash in on the potential that will be brought by the arrival of delegates,” said a hopeful Mabaila. As the Mmegi crew was speaking with Mabaila, his colleagues waded in the interview saying that they cannot wait for brisk business that the congress will bring.  Surprisingly, a few people did not even know that there would be a congress within their vicinity in Tonota. 

The Mmegi crew boarded a taxi with Khumo Kgosintwa who said that she was not aware that the BDP would be hosting a congress in Tonota that some people have dubbed “Mother of all congresses”. For kiosk owner, Tsono Molopo, who sells her wares a stone’s throw from Tonota College of Education (TCE) where the congress will be held, she anticipates to benefit from the congress. “We were informed by one BDP member that TCE will be hosting the BDP congress. We anticipate to make lots of profit during the congress,” she said.

Molopo and other kiosks traders nearby joked that the BDP should not provide enough food to the delegates so that they (delegates) can come and buy food and other items from their kiosks. While many people are eagerly awaiting the congress to start, some are unhappy that they will not benefit.

Two youthful disc jockeys Percy Mogapi and Thatayaone Moile expressed unhappiness that they have not been hired to provide their services during the congress. The duo who are diehard supporters of the BDP said they can only advise the BDP to in future utilise services of people from Tonota first, especially the youth before they can seek those services outside after confirming their non-availability locally.

The BDP congress is arguably the most trending event in Tonota and the whole country this week. Back at the bus and taxi rank, transport operators could be heard saying that the month of July this year is the “make or break” for the BDP and opposition parties that will also be holding their congresses in July.

They said with problems afflicting the BDP and opposition parties, those who will be elected to various positions at their respective congresses have a huge task ahead of them more so that the 2019 general elections are expected to be the most competitive ever in Botswana.