02 Mar 2016

As the country gears to celebrate 50 years of Independence, the excitement of the Golden Jubilee celebrations is starting to kick in and some people are already coming up with ideas of how best to celebrate this milestone.

One such person is Botswana’s first strongman Pampu Seneelo who has always enjoyed fitness training from the age of 13.  

Having been part of a group of 20 men organised by South Africa’s strongest man Wayne Price that had to pull a 20-ton truck from Centurion to Cape Town in 2003 for charity, Pampu is planning to partake in the same feat this time pulling a sedan from Francistown to Gaborone.

Speaking in an interview, Pampu said he wants to try something ground breaking and wants to involve any willing Batswana who can help him achieve the feat.

“I am going to host a mini-league that will see people competing in fitness challenges and those that win will then qualify to pull the sedan,” he said, adding that the teams that will have been chosen will pull for a certain distance and alternate with others until the journey is complete and those who compete in this challenge will be provided with everything from water, food to medical assistance if need be.

“I want the Francistown event to start end of July and I am appealing to parastatals, football teams, social clubs and other organizations to help make this dream come true,” he said, indicating that he wants this done in Botswana to show others that one can do whatever they put their mind into. 

He indicated that he is hoping to have many groups that will help with pulling the sedan and the fitness games he is going to host to pick teams will help him see how fit people are physically.

“I am also hoping to approach His Excellency the President of Botswana to accompany us at the beginning and end of the journey,” said Pampu, adding that he already has a special harness designed for  the President if he agrees to it.

Pampu further said before the big day, he will hold another fitness day of aerobics with companies that would have come on board to celebrate a healthy lifestyle

He further said along the journey from Francistown to Gaborone, they will stop at major villages and towns to promote fitness and healthy living adding that the companies that will be with them will also get the chance to promote themselves.

Pampu went on to say that his life has always been about fitness since he was a teenager and it helped him lead a better life away from social ills.

He further said he is looking at living in Old Naledi so that he takes under his wing a couple of youngsters to motivate them to do better.

“I am hopeful that since I will be living with them this will give me a greater chance to succeed in influencing them live a better life,” said the muscle man. Ends