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Showbiz Reporter
LOOKING for a place to hang out with friends this weekend but are on a tight budget? Worry not and make your way to Umqombothi Sports Bar at Nkulumane 5’s Bullet Shopping Centre to  be part of the biggest braai party in Bulawayo.

What’s interesting about this BBQ is that two cows, six goats and two pigs will be slaughtered and the meat is free for all to be merry. As if that is not enough, a truck load of opaque beer will be delivered for people to imbibe.

The bar’s management said they were hosting the braai as a way to re-launch the joint which has been refurbished.

“We’ve been renovating the popular spot to give people in the high density area of Nkulumane 5 a feel of the city centre’s nightlife,” said Zanele Moyo, a Umqombothi  spokesperson.

The sports bar has gone a gear up as it now has a feel of a typical upmarket club with a cordoned VIP area. A very spacious spot, the bar is for all as it has a spacious outdoor area for people to braai, another area for opaque beer drinkers as well as the main club which is for the more youthful clientele.

“The idea is to give people in the high density suburbs a feel of upmarket  joints. We’ve done one or two touch ups  and we’re stopping at nothing,” said Moyo.

She said the new-look joint was also meant to boost township tourism.

“We discovered that most visitors who come to Bulawayo want to party in a ghetto environment and therefore positioned our bar to be that place where safety and clean fun are guaranteed.

“For example, during the recent Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, there were so many people who’d come from outside the city who wanted to have fun in the high density areas but failed to get a place to do so. Now with Umqombothi, such people will have a place that has the feel of an upmarket joint.”

She said the celebrations would be incomplete without a truck load of Ingwebu as opaque beer is what attracts most people to the place.

“Umqombothi  is a Ndebele word for opaque/traditional beer. When the place was named Umqombothi  in 2004, it was more of a beerhall where people would convene to drink opaque beer so it’s become the home for these people and still is their home though we’ve also accommodated the younger crowd as well.

“This is why we’ve decided to honour our loyal customers by rewarding them with a truckload of their favourite traditional drink from Ingwebu.”

Other than the free meat and drinks, a lot of entertainment has been lined up for the party with the bar’s resident DJ Sweeto at the helm of the entertainers. He will be joined by other DJs, Prince, Kead Wikead, Crazy Black, FFF Molfy, St Wilz, Phibz, Sheriff, Demzy D, Stones, Ayaxx and Kul Jeff.

Ma Ting Ting, Queen and Obama will be the hosts.

Moyo said a DJs battle would be conducted next week to select DJs who will be employed to work full time at the bar.

“We’ll hold a DJs battle to get other resident DJs that will be helping DJ Sweeto to entertain revellers at the joint,” she said.