24 Apr 2017

Botswana National Sport Commission chief executive officer, Falcon Sedimo has applauded Debswana for its unending efforts in promoting sport development in Botswana.
Speaking during the Debswana Re Ba Bona Ha Karate Centre launch in Tsabong Unified Secondary School on Saturday, Sedimo said that in recent years, Botswana athletes had achieved outstanding performances in many regional, continental and international competitions, and that Debswana had on most occasions contributed significantly to ensure these successes.
Sedimo pointed out that Debswana had invested over P6.5 million in the Re Ba Bona Ha programme over the past years to ease some of the worries to sport organisations.
He also pointed out that by 2019, Debswana would have contributed P9.5 million over 10 years to the programme.
Furthermore, Sedimo noted that the BNSC association with the Re Ba Bona Ha programme had seen the programme grow from four national sport associations to the current 12.
He pointed out that they had also seen the programme reach places such as Maun, Kasane, Mmopane and now Tsabong which is in line with BNSC’s vision “Sports For All.”

Sedimo said that through the Re Ba Bona Ha programme, BNSC has the chance to change the fortunes of the nation in sport and ensure that the future of African sport and at the global level would be defined from the country.
Sedimo also applauded volunteers and other stakeholders contributing to sport development, saying they play a pivotal role not only in sport development but also in the overall development of Botswana.
He therefore urged them to continue working tirelessly to harness the power of sport to change lives for the better and glory of their country.

Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) president, Sensei Tshepo Bathai thanked parents for supporting the country’s sport development initiatives by letting their children participate in Karate.
He said karate was an interesting sport and must be promoted. “Many people view karate as a violent sport, which is not true.
Karate is a wonderful sport and has many benefits such as being paid to play the sport.

It also promotes physical fitness and self- discipline amongst others,” he stressed.
He urged young karatekas to treat karate with the seriousness that it deserves and fully utilise the centre.
He advised them that if they take karate seriously, there were many good things that they could reap from the sport such as government’s special programs for sports people through BNSC such as scholarships and many others.
He urged school authorities to allow youth and residents who were interested in karate to also utilise the centre, noting that sporting facilities in Kgalagadi were lacking.

Sensei Bathai also applauded the BNSC for donating karate equipment worth P70 000 to the Tsabong Karate Centre and assured them that they would be wisely used to groom and produce great karatekas who would make Botswana proud at different levels.ENDS