Hiking club in Maritime Force Cape MaClear challenge
“It is important to think about our physical and mental capacities.”
Hill Climbing Club (HCC) this Saturday Labour Day, 1st May, joins Malawi Maritime Force (MMF) in a 20km fitness tourism walk.
M’theto Lungu, co-founder and coordinator for borderless based HCC, says the group has coordinated the once in a lifetime event to support MMF objectives, and also as part of promotion of fitness and healthy living needs.
“Commander for Malawi Maritime Force, Maj. Gen. Francis Kakhuta-Banda saw it fit that exercise should be everyone’s requirement, and invited us to be part and parcel of this suspicious event. We believe that encouraging people to exercise and look after themselves is key to a healthy life, and hence a catalyst of socio-economic development,” he said.
The event, dubbed Maj. Gen. Kakhuta-Banda Malawi Maritime Force Cape MaClear Challenge, has attracted different walks of life of people, mixing civilians and military personnel in their own personal capacity.
“The idea is to positively engage the community within and around Monkey-Bay and Mangochi to spend their time progressively. When we are not at work or doing our business, it is important to think about our physical and mental capacities. Exercising improves both these areas, and people who exercise lead better lives. Our objective is to build a culture of progressive time use and a healthy life that also helps beat diseases, especially non-communicable ones such as BP and diabetics which are lifestyle challenges,” said Maj. Gen. Kakhuta-Banda.
He added that the occasion also served as an opportunity to launch the Monkey-Bay Fitness Club, and in a bigger frame, an annual fitness tourism event that will be nationally recognised by fitness and healthy living pundits.
“We see ourselves becoming a calendar event with potential to attract tourists from beyond our borders. The Monkey-Bay to Cape MaClear route is an introductory one, but more creative and daring routes are being considered for the future.”
Both Lungu and Maj. Gen. Kakhuta-Banda agree that Covid19 has however brought many challenges to such creative initiatives, and have ensured that preventive practices will be observed, especially distancing, use of hand sanitisers, and avoidance of physical contacting, among other measures.
At the end of the activity, they highlight, participants will be served with a deserving buffet, a brai and some refreshments at the Fisheries at Cape MaClear.
The activity has attracted participation of many other fitness and sporting groups from Lilongwe, Mangochi, Blantyre and Salima including Ells Fitness Club, Salima Fitness Club, and many other individuals of various calling.
HCC has membership across borders including South Africa, Lesotho, DRC, the United Kingdom, Namibia, and United States of America and unites them through WhatsApp and Facebook groups where they share their fitness and healthy living experiences.
Meanwhile MMF is a formation of the Malawi Defence Force responsible for Maritime security and is headquartered at Monkey Bay.
The event will start at 06:30am at Maritime Club, with full media coverage.
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