This past week, Botswana Football Association (BFA) top brass travelled to Cape Twon, South Africa to renegotiate the national teams’ technical sponsorship with Umbro.
The entourage was made of BFA chief executive officer (CEO) Mfolo Mfolo, BFA Vice president Masego Nchingane and BFA general Manager Monnakgotla Mojaki. Their visit to South Africa has left many questioning the association’s commitment to push local brands.
Over the years, the sports clothing industry of Botswana has grown tremendously. Local brands like Wusa, MN clothing, Yoli, Dlala, Ikapro, Evoli, Ace Clothing and All Kasi, just to mention but a few, now cloth many of the country’s football teams. As for All Kasi, they were once the national team technical sponsors.
Is BFA overlooking these brands? BFA CEO says the renewal of vows with Umbro came as the association had a running contract with the brand. Sadly, details concerning their extension with the brand were off the table.
On what the BFA looks into when selecting a technical sponsor, Mfolo had this to say; “We need a technical sponsor that can dress our seven national teams in comparisons to international best standards for national team.” Questioned whether local brands did not have the capacity and ability to meet the requirements, Mfolo opted to ‘rather not comment on this one.’ He however says the association follows available methods of procurement and everyone is free to participate in the tendering process.
Commenting on the matter, Taggie Wusa of Wusa clothing says he doubts Mfolo’s words. He says he has never seen any floating tender for expression of interest in clothing national teams. Rather, he says the association tends to involve them when requesting regalia sponsorship where they will be donating to their friends.
“BFA is undermining and overlooking local brands. Just like Umbro, local brands have the capability of dressing the national teams. Speaking for all local brands, we do not lack anything. It is just that our local brands cannot bribe the association official, that is why they go outside,” Wusa said.
He says the association should use one of the local brands to create jobs and not to resort to them only when stranded. “If local organisations support local manufactures, it means the rate of unemployment will go down. They will employ more people to meet customer demands. In short, we are very capable and we have the resources to dress our national teams,” he said.
Weighing in on the matter, local sport analyst City Keagakwa says it is surprising that the BFA is extending the deal with Umbro. He says in his previous engagements with the then acting CEO Tshepo Mphukuthi, he was informed ‘the association is looking to give one of the local brands a chance to dress the national teams.’
“It would have been nice if BFA had shared details of their past deal with Umbro and what they offered to give a hint of what they are looking for which the local brands maybe failing to provide,” he opines.
“Previously, I heard that our local brands do not produce all full regalia needed for national teams. These included hats, caps and sandals. Now, our brands have included these in their stock. I have seen sandals from Dlala, caps and hats from Wusa. In short, local brands are very much capable to clothe our national teams,” Keagakwa states.
Better still, he says local brands are doing well and are now clothing different sporting codes across the country. Some are even penetrating the outside markets. Due to this, it is very difficult to tell and show what our brands are not capable.
“We need to toe the line and ‘Pusha BW’ to promote local brands and businesses. Having one of our local brands clothing the national team and supporting it will contribute to the GDP. Now we are going abroad to get a product which is not based from here. If we buy the replicas, the funds go to a foreign land,” he points out.
Keagakwa says as much as BFA always ask of Batswana to be patriotic, they should also show patriotism. As such, he says local brands should be prioritised and empowered. “This is a sign of patriotism which we always ask people to consider when supporting the national team and truth is we are not showing enough,” he concludes.
