Botswana: The streets of Gaborone were eliminated by throngs of road running fanatics on Saturday evening, as the inaugural Run Gabz by Night Marathon was held.
Over 2000 road runners converged on Game City Lifestyle Shopping Mall, which was the starting point of the highly anticipated Marathon, which was a first of its kind in Botswana.
When delivering a keynote address at the maiden road running extravaganza, Minister Of Defense and Security, Kagiso Mmusi, said that “the purpose of tonight’s activity is to encourage healthy living and the promotion of a safe and peaceful city.”
He further alluded that he hopes that the seed sown by all stakeholders in this initiative will blossom and flourish, creating a safe city and healthy environment for constituents.
The inaugural Run Gabz by Night Marathon was divided into 21km, 10km and 5km, which saw participants take to the Capitals streets laden in reflective colours, glow sticks and other unique running paraphernalia.
For his part, race organizer Mawilla revealed that the Run Gabs By Night Marathon is a concept that was inspired by the need to curb and address the escalating crime rate in Gaborone.
He noted that “most crimes happen in the City after hours, and as such, this race was deliberately held at night to sensitize our communities about the call for action to clean up the streets of Gaborone and eliminate unsavoury criminal elements that exist.”
The inaugural Run Gabz by Night Marathon brought together professional and recreational runners from across the country and region under the auspice of healthy living and crime prevention.
It is envisioned that the initiative will grow in leaps and bounds for the benefit of local communities and the proliferation of safety and security for the nation at large.
