Sebei Church of Uganda Diocese Bishop Paul Masaba, gold medalist Moses Kipsiro and other leaders have reiterated the need to declare Kapchorwa a Sports City.

The leaders said that in the Sabiny local language, Kapchorwa means “home of friends.” The hilly, green region on the ranges of Mount Elgon – an extinct volcano that straddles Uganda and Kenya – was named so because the Sabiny people consider themselves very friendly people.

Traditionally nomadic pastoralists, the Sabiny are believed to have migrated from Ethiopia and grazed their cattle in western Kenya before finding greener pastures and settling on the eastern slopes of Mt Elgon.

“We are naturally friendly, and welcoming people. Of recently, we have added the hone of talented athletes,” Bishop Masaba said.

Gold medalist Moses Kipsiro

He made the call during the awarding of marathon participants who took part in a marathon organised by Compassion International at Booma Grounds in Kapchorwa Municipality.

The marathon was organised by Compassion International under the theme: “Run for education.”

The marathon attracted over 300 runners in the category of 21 meters, 8 meters and walking racing. 

Bishop Masaba said for years, Kapchorwa and the Sabiny were synonymous with female genital mutilation, until a government ban which has seen Kapchorwa becoming a home of Uganda’s long-distance runners and arabica coffee.

"In recent years, the Sipi Falls has also attracted both local and international adventure travellers," he said.

"At the just concluded 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Uganda won four medals – all of them by athletes who hail from Kapchorwa: Joshua Cheptegei (10,000 metres silver and 5,000 metres gold), Jacob Kiplimo (10,000 metres bronze) and Peruth Chemutai (3,000 metres steeplechase gold)," Masaba said.

"And they were not the first stars from Kapchorwa. Stella Chesang was a gold medalist in the 10,000 metres at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Moses Kipsiro, at the 2010 Commonwealth Games 5,000 metres gold medalist; and Steven Kiproitich, a gold medal winner in the marathon at the 2012 London Olympics marathon. They are all Sabiny from Mt Elgon region. We are an athlete region,” he said. 

Masaba said Sebei leaders implored the government to consider declaring Kapchorwa a sports city but up to now it’s not been considered. 

He said athletes from Sebei sub-region have played their role in putting Uganda on the international map.

The chief guest Moses Kipsiro said the Sabiny are distant relatives of the Oromo people of Ethiopia and closer to the Kalenjin of Kenya – the world’s best long-distance runners.

“The fact that we are from the high altitudes means that we usually have expanded lungs so we can run long distances without getting easily exhausted,” he says.

“My cultural experience started in Teryet village, 20 km north of Kapchorwa town. Rising 2,600 metres above sea level, the air here is cool making walks reinvigorating,” he added.

Since its 1956 Olympics debut, Uganda has won a score of medals which were won in Tokyo 2020 and other parts of the world under Njia.

Lenny Mugisha outgoing Compassion International director, believes Uganda can overtake Kenya in athletics on the global stage. “We now have many young athletes with a lot of potential. We just need to invest more in training facilities."

"This is the reason why Compassion International has come out to supplement the government's role in supporting sports at an early age. We say our athletes should not only do the running but also focus on education," Mugisha said.