BDF should plan better next year

That is why tens of thousands always turn up for the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) Day. But this weekend, something wrong happened as we celebrated our military’s existence and the selfless work of our soldiers. There was a stampede. As early as 3am, people from the little ones to the old had started converging on the National Stadium. By 6am, the stands were full. Yet people continued pushing, trying to go in. 

At face value, the large crowd, of mostly children and young adults would be understood to be a sign of popularity of the day – and it is. However failure by the BDF to have an effective crowd control strategy could have resulted in death. Mercifully it was minor injuries, and the injured have since been discharged from hospital. It could have been worse.