Botswana President supports We Have Faith campaign

By M'thetho Lungu*

10th September 2015. Botswana: President Ian Khama has boosted the Botswana climate justice cycling campaign by buying one of the cyclists a bicycle.

The red road bike, has been offered to Jonmol Cycling Club's Elvis Setshogo, who hails from Ramotswa, some 20km out of Gaborone.

"I am excited that he bought the bicycle for me to support this climate awareness ride. I pray that his Excellency shall do the same to many other youngsters in different spirit g activities," said Setshogo as the team reached Dibete, a small village on the way to Mahalapye.

President Khama is a complete sportsman and also cycles. His exemplary gesture comes at a time when the world will meet in Paris, France, this early December.

The W_e Have Faith Act - Now Climate Justice_ campaign is garnering a united pan-African voice, cycling from Maputo in Mozambique towards Nairobi in Kenya.

Along the route, which had been through Mozambique and South Africa, and now crossing Botswana, climate change awareness and reciprocated climate justice advocacy, including planting trees, engagement of community and local leaders, calls to national political and faith leaders to engage towards a fair, sustainable, and binding deal at COP21 is taking place.

At Dibete, the cyclists and officials from the Botswana Council of Churches, which is coordinating the Botswana Climate Change Network in the intervention, planted trees.

Kgosi Letlhomame Jacob said it was important to sensitise his people around the effects of climate change. He planted a tree to symbolise his people's support of the campaign.

Botswana is experiencing acute water shortages especially in the capital Gaborone due to falling water table. The Botswana leg of the campaign, to be handed over to Zimbabwe takes 6 days and about 658 km's to conclude.

Latest update on the WHF campaign:

14th September 2015. Francistown, Botswana: At 06:30 am today the Botswana cycling team departs Nest Lodge for Zimbabwe border at Ramokgwebane where Zimbabwe takes over the Pan-African We Have Faith - Act Now for Climate Justice cycling campaign which kicked off from Maputo, Mozambique on 31st August and entered South Africa on 1st September.

Sarah Mwandiambira of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches is joined by faith leaders to receive the cyclists, officially from Rev. Mosweu Simane, the secretary general of the Botswana Council of Churches at 09:30 am. The team will also handover the African People's Petition, calling for a fair and binding deal at the December 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris, France.

The cycling campaign takes 6500km from Maputo to Nairobi through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and Tanzania, and also connects with Uganda which will cycle straight to Nairobi from Kampala in November. Zimbabwe becomes the fourth country on the continental noble tour.

*M'thetho is travelling with the campaign as their official media person