11 Jul 2016

 President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama was among riders who took part in the inaugural Bank Gaborone and President Charitable Fund fun run on Sunday. 

The race took riders from Airport Junction Mall joining the A1 highway north bound up to the Mmamashia junction. 

The charitable event, which will be held annually,  was aimed at raising funds for the President’s Housing Appeal as well as Bank Gaborone’s financial literacy programme.

Speaking at the end of the cycling expedition, Senior Private Secretary to the President, Brigadier George Tlhalerwa ,said when the idea of hosting the event was conjured in a meeting between him and Bank Gaborone managing director, Sybrand Coetzee, he was not expecting the turn up and the commitment shown by riders. 

He said Bank Gaborone donated P200 000 as a starter pack to the initiative, which has to date collected over P700 000.

Brigadier Tlhalerwa said charity was not an obligation but an opportunity to make a difference to vulnerable members of society. 

He said the President’s Housing Appeal, which was part of the Charitable Fund had so far built about 621 houses thus accommodating over 6 000 people.  

He said 41 houses were still under construction. 

As a way of leading by example, Brigadier Tlhalerwa promised to donate proceeds from an auction sale of his vintage Humber bicycle towards the fund. 

The shiny manual bike is 43-years-old and valued at P40 000. 

For the Sunday route, President Khama in his OCLV Trek Carbon frame road bike was joined by cabinet ministers Kitso Mokaila, Tshenolo Mabeo, Nonofo Molefhi and Bank Gaborone’s executive management team. 

Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng, joined the festivities for the awards ceremony where his team presented a cheque for P300 000 towards the fund. 

Mabeo, who led the youthful BR Express team, presented P155 000 towards the initiative. 

In an interview, Molefhi applauded the noble gesture by Office of the President and Bank Gaborone, saying it offered an opportunity for Batswana to appreciate charitable work. 

For his part, Mabeo told BOPA that he was impressed by the level of enthusiasm for his ministry’s road safety campaign.

He said cyclists played a major role in the campaign just like any other road users. 

The event was held in partnership with MVA Fund, Department of Roads Transport and Safety, Yarona FM, The Voice, RB1, RB2, BTV and Daily News. ENDS