Vee's Brand Botswana monopoly raises eyebrows

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Thursday December 9, 2010 00:00

 

BOMU chairperson, Sello Socca Moruakgomo says the promoters of Brand Botswana should have approached the union to give them a line-up of musicians to spearhead the campaign and not to do the search through promoters.

He says it is important that the national brand is backed by the whole music industry and not just one artist. Veteran rumba star, Franco Lesokwane described the decision to use only Vee in the campaign as improper.

'Some of us have long learnt about this unfair practice. When it is happening at private companies, it is difficult to question it. But for a national brand, one would expect to see various musicians spread across the length and breadth of the country to promote this brand. To give it to one artist is a shame.

This country has produced brand names in music who are associated with Botswana all over Africa, and to leave them out is just a shame to the Botswana brand,' Franco said.

Leading traditional music band, Culture Spears said they cannot comment on the matter because they do not know what the Botswana Brand is all about. The campaign is spearheaded by the Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA).

Vee has defended his monopoly in the campaign, describing himself as a patriot who always sings about the country in his house kwasa albums.  He said his music is a pure Botswana product that he developed himself, hence it deserves to head the Brand Botswana campaign. Vee told Mmegi that he never complains when other artistes are taken abroad on cultural exchange programmes or are hired in HIV/AIDS campaigns.

He said it does not matter what type of a campaign an artist is engaged in. He added that the Brand Botswana campaign is not different from other campaigns that musicians have been engaged in before.

The Brand Botswana spokesperson, Ludo Mokotedi said they chose Vee because he is popular in the areas selected for the first phase of the campaign. She said other artistes will be considered for the second phase of the campaign. The Minister of Trade, Dorcas Makgato-Malesu has said she would not answer for the decision made by BEDIA to hire only Vee in the first phase of the campaign. The minister is a former BEDIA head.

It is understood that Vee has been hired to perform in 50 shows throughout the country until early next year. The shows are held in bus ranks, malls and Kgotla meetings. On day one of the tour, the musician is said to have performed three shows at the Gaborone Bus Rank, Dibete and Artesia.

He returned to Gaborone the same day for a late night show at Urban Legend's concert, where American rapper EVE and super DJ Benny D were the headline artistes. From November 29 to December 14, Vee will have performed in 29 shows, according to the schedule published in the Daily News by BEDIA.