• Proceeds of the marathon sponsor postgraduate studies
• Race promotes fight against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
The Acting President and Minister of Finance, Ndaba Nkosinathi Gaolathe, has commended the University of Botswana (UB) marathon for being more than just a sporting event, but for giving hope and opportunities to those who may not otherwise find it through its graduate scholarships.
Delivering a keynote address at the 4th Annual UB marathon held on 7th September 2025 at the UB stadium parking zone, Gaolathe stated that proceeds from the marathon go into augmenting the UB Graduate Scholarship Endowment Fund, which is used to sponsor postgraduate students.
In addition, Gaolathe said: “According to the World Health Organisation, Non-communicable Diseases account for nearly half of all deaths in Botswana. Events like this help us fight that burden while strengthening UB’s role in sport development.”
Gaolathe stressed the importance of human and social development, as highlighted by the Vision 2036. He said Botswana’s aspirations depend on good health and wellness and that the government alone can not do it. He noted that equally, “Vision 2036 calls us to build hubs of excellence that anchor our knowledge economy. We must cultivate research and innovation within our universities, not simply to publish academic works, but to translate them into industries, technologies, and systems that will sustain us long after minerals are gone.”
He thus noted that the marathon’s objectives aligned with the government’s goal of transforming the economy from being a mineral-driven one to a diversified and knowledge-driven one. He indicated that in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics, the country must invest in education to stay ahead. To this end, he said, UB Foundation’s efforts to support postgraduate studies eases the burden on government while at the same time restoring hope to hundreds of students to pursue their dreams.
According to the soft spoken Gaolathe, a knowledge-economy to be achieved, there must be investment in human capital. He stated that as such, the nation must help the university like it did when answering the clarion call of “Motho le Motho kgomo” at a critical point in history. Moreover, he said it is institutions like UB that must take a leading role in education, research, driving innovation, and raising Botswana’s global competitiveness.
The marathon, which attracted over 3500 participants from across the SADC region, was graced by other high-ranking guests like the Minister of Sport & Arts Jacob Kelebeng, senior government officials UB leadership, sponsors and partners. Other attendees included the UB staff, students, alumni, and friends of the university.
Established in 2022, the marathon has grown to be one of the leading sports events in the local sporting calendar.
