Today marks exactly 50 days before Botswana celebrates its golden jubilee year. She said: “We ran a competition that was open to all Batswana. The committee then chose the best design and this will be unveiled tomorrow (today).” Kgotlafela confirmed that the competition winner was given P40,000 as the cash prize and P89,000 was spent on the production. Kgotlafela dismissed the picture that has been circulating on social media that it was the official BOT50 mascot. BOT50 will also unveil the official theme song which also cost P40,000 which was paid to the Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU). Kgotlafela said although the #50daysto50 will be celebrated across all districts in Botswana, the main event in Gaborone will begin with motorcades and marches from Game City, the Three Chiefs monument, Airport Junction, Main Mall and Fairground and the marches are expected to converge at the Gaborone Senior Secondary School (GSS) grounds before proceeding to UB. “We are very open with our budget. We have been in the past accused of secrecy that is why I am telling you all this. Tomorrow will be a day of activities as we inch closer to the final day,” Kgotlafela stressed. BOT50 will today also launch the main message for the Botswana 50th anniversary from President Ian Khama that will also be read out in the different districts the same time as in Gaborone. They will also launch the official national booklet for BOT50, which will include all the national symbols and their meanings. “Things like the national flag colours, the national flower, the national anthem, the national birds will all be included in this booklet. Their origins and meaning to the Botswana history will be explained in detail,” Kgotlafela said adding that they intend to leave a legacy once the BOT50 celebrations are over. The BOT50 project has enjoyed negative publicity over the past months with allegations of fraud and corruption ruining the P100 million project. BOT50 was in the past reported to the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) for the corruption practices. When quizzed on this yesterday Kgotlafela said, “I cannot comment on it. But yes the investigation is still underway. We submitted all our accounts books and records to the DCEC as they requested. “They have not yet gotten back to us but we will comply with all that they need from us,” said Kgotlafela.
