04 Oct 2022

Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC) chairperson, Marumo Morule has emphasised the need to make  physical activity a daily routine in order to bring joy, health, social interaction, integration and development to communities.

Morule was speaking at the The Association for International Sport for All (TAFISA) World Walking Day commemoration recently The BNSC chief said for the first time ever, the sport fraternity in Botswana joined the rest of the world in commemorating the day.

Officially, he said the day was celebrated on October 2 by other participating nations but the country decided to commemorate it earlier to pave way for Independence festivities.

Morule said the TAFISA World Walking Day was launched in 1991 with the aim to provide a simple and fun way to be physically active and celebrate sport for all against the global crisis of physical inactivity. “With over 383 member organisations in more than 170 countries  TAFISA strives to raise awareness of the benefits of Sport for all and physical activity,” said Morule.

He added that the event was not all about promoting physical activity, saying ‘it also provides a platform for sharing causes and values important to us, and shows that the Sport for All Movement stands together and is united to create a better world,” he said.

This year, he said TAFISA strived to promote peace and solidarity bringing participants together to foster harmony, friendship and build bridges between groups, communities and nations.

Morule said over three decades, dozens of millions of people across the world made a habit of walking together on the first Sunday of October, turning it into ‘World Walking Day. “I am elated that this year we will be counted among them,” he said.

He said it would have been remiss for the country not to commemorate the occasion given that Keenese Katisenge-Tizhani was in June this year elected TAFISA vice president-Africa for the period 2022-2025. “As we speak, she is in Italy attending the TAFISA board meeting and the European Sport for All Games,” he said.

He said the importance of engaging in physical activity could not be over-emphasised. “In recent years, our country has been grappling with the rise Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), which contribute to 31 per cent of all deaths,” he said. Mr Morule said an advice from the Ministry of Health was that eating healthy and exercising regularly would assist in avoiding NCDs.

A 30-minute exercise a day is all that is needed to stay healthy. I urge you to continue with these much needed activities aimed at keeping our nation healthy. A healthy nation is a wealthy nation,” he said. ENDS