29 May 2017

Sir Seretse Khama Day committee intends to bring back to life the trek Bangwato travelled from Shoshong en route to Old Palapye as part of cultural tourism that will form part of array of events lined up for July 1 celebrations.

The trek, according to the Sir Seretse Khama Day committee chairperson, Taukubong Monageng, would be traversed on horse-backs as tourists get to appreciate and see for themselves some temporary settlement ruins that Bangwato had as they trolled from Shoshong to Old Palapye.

The development is intended inter alia to create jobs for the youth while simultaneously teaching them about the history of the Bangwato tribe.

The committee is currently seized with insurmountable pressures of sourcing permanent sponsors of the annual event, but is hopeful that their suitors are blushing to their proposals.

They also pin their hopes on Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Culture Development to foot artists and performers’ bill.

Other plethora of events slated for celebrating the birth of Bangwato kgosi, who was the first President of Botswana, the committee has hit the ground running to organise an exhibition featuring Sir Seretse Khama’s life a few days before the main event.

On July 1, after main event at the main kgotla, the committee will hold a cultural night, where various traditional artistes will showcase their talents at the glare of tourists and general public.

Prior to the main event, the committee has lined up precursor events to stoke and create awareness to the general populace.

The committee also held a beauty pageant on Saturday to get youth partaking in the historical day.

Following the pageant will be a cleanup campaign where members of the public, led by relevant departments will partake in cleaning Serowe while simultaneously propagating awareness into the masses.

The awareness campaign will then shift to the business community in a form of flea market, where businesses will be availed opportunities to market and sell their products and in the process publicising the Sir Seretse Khama Day message.

The committee, according to Serowe umbrella Village Development Committee chairperson, has already met with the village leadership in dikgosi, district commissioner and other stakeholders, who are reportedly abreast on the progress.

The celebrations are a departure from the past, where churches converged at the main kgotla every year since the death of Sir Seretse in 1980 to mourn the passing of the great leader of the nation.

Now, since 2006, the committee celebrates Sir Seretse Khama’s birth date anchoring themselves on many of statements he uttered pertaining to culture and staying true to one’s identity.

“He is famed for urging us to do and cherish those things that unite us not those that put a wedge between us,” said Monageng. ENDS