Hilma Nalupe
Pedro Mukonda was born and raised in Katima Mulilo until the age of 12, after which he moved to Gobabis for a year before settling in Tsumeb, where he currently lives.
Mukonda grew up with an elder brother who loved lifting weights, which inspired his own passion for the sport.
“My brother was respected by his friends because he lifted weights, and he would always defend me from bullies,” he said.
“When I went to high school, my friends would always talk about the tough guys who bullied younger learners, forcing them to do things or give them what they wanted. Hearing and seeing that, I decided it would never happen to me. That’s when I started lifting weights at home,” said Mukonda.
He was formally introduced to weightlifting in 2020, during his first year of high school.
Determined not to be looked down on, he committed himself to training. That same year, teachers and fellow learners began noticing physical changes in him and praised his dedication and hard work. Their encouragement made him realise he had potential in bodybuilding.
Mukonda made his competitive debut on 12 May 2025 at the Oshakati Totem Expo.
“I was excited to step on stage and show what I had, but after seeing the athletes who competed before me, I realised there was serious competition,” he said.
In 2023, during his final year of high school, Mukonda realised that bodybuilding was more than just a hobby. He fell in love with the sport and wanted to continue inspiring others through it. His proudest moment came when he won first place at the World Fitness Federation (WFF) Zambia Championships.
“I was so proud of myself, especially for the days I felt like skipping training but still pushed through,” he said.
He added that the toughest phase of his career was preparing for the WFF Zambia competition. While he understood his strengths and weaknesses, improving his weaker areas required significant changes to his diet, which proved financially challenging.
Mukonda describes his training style as different from the modern approach, preferring old-school methods inspired by bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger rather than relying heavily on modern machines.
To prepare mentally for competitions, he motivates himself by believing his opponents work harder than he does, which drives him to push himself even further.
Although his friends and family feel he overtrains, Mukonda believes he is not doing enough. He describes bodybuilding as a slow and demanding process that requires showing up consistently every single day.
This year, Mukonda earned one trophy and a gold medal at the WFF Zambia Championships.
His biggest goal is to compete internationally and help grow bodybuilding in Namibia, making it a visible and widely appreciated sport.