BY THEMBA ZWANE
NKILONGO – Government ministries and companies from across Eswatini joined hundreds of participants at the annual Ubombo Mountain Hiking event at Mkhalamfene under Nkilongo Inkhundla on Saturday.
The event, organised by Ubombo Sugar Limited, has grown into a major community and wellness initiative, attracting participants from different parts of the country. Previous editions have drawn participation from government ministries, the private sector, UN agencies and NGOs.
Nkilongo Member of Parliament Petros Sibandze, who participated in the walk, described the event as a significant development for the constituency, saying its growing national profile has put Mkhalamfene and Nkilongo on the map.
Sibandze said the participation of government ministries and major companies demonstrated the importance of the event to the community.
“Ubombo organised the walk, but under my constituency. It is a big event and people come from all over Eswatini. Big companies and government ministries participate. It is good for the community,” Sibandze said.
The MP said the event had helped raise the profile of Mkhalamfene, adding that “the whole of Eswatini now knows about Mkhalamfene under Nkilongo.”
Sibandze also used the occasion to promote the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, taking part in physical activities and encouraging communities to embrace wellness.
The annual hike has a strong community-development component. Previous editions have been held under the theme “Changing Lives, One Community at a Time”, with funds raised directed towards community-focused initiatives. In 2024, the event contributed towards the purchase of a 5,000-litre water tank for learners and residents around Mkhalamfene.
The Mkhalamfene route has also become a distinctive feature of the event, with the trail taking participants through the mountain terrain and offering views of the surrounding Lubombo landscape. The 2025 event was reported to have attracted an estimated 3,000 participants.
Sibandze’s participation underlined the growing role of the hike not only as a fitness activity but also as a platform bringing government, business and communities together under Nkilongo.
The 2026 event was scheduled for August 8 at Mkhalamfene, further cementing the area as the home of one of Eswatini’s increasingly prominent community hiking events.
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(Courtesy Pic)
