Great African Cycling Safari heads for final leg in Nairobi

A group of 25 cyclists were on Monday flagged off to complete the first leg of the Great African Cycling Safari (GACS) initiative.

GACS is an annual bicycle tour to showcase the East African Community in all its beauty, and multiplicity and reflecting the cultural diversity of the people living in the region.

This year's 5th edition safari started on August 1 in Mombasa before it headed to Arusha in Tanzania, before making it to Burundi, Rwanda, and before it made its way to Uganda on September 7. On Monday, the cyclists were welcomed in Kampala by their sponsors Equity Bank staff at their headquarters on Church House before they headed to Kololo for the official flag-off.

Cyclists ride on Kampala Road as they head to Kololo Airstrip for the official flag off. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

The 2022 tour has three key aims: promoting the goals of the East African Community; promoting trade and tourism across the Community, and mitigating challenges posed by climate change.

The First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga officially flagged off the cyclists after she had called on the government and other partners to come on board and support the cyclists.  

Kadaga thanked the riders for keeping the flag and the spirit of integration of the people of East Africa and thanked the riders for their endurance, resilience, and commitment. She also thanked the sponsors including the Senior Presidential Advisor on Kampala Sarah Kanyike, Equity Bank, and the Director GACS John Bosco Balongo for their commitment to the event. She decried the lack of government support but promised to look for more partners to sponsor the endeavor because it is part of the integration agenda.

The First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga (5th left), Equity Bank Executive Director Elizabeth Mwerinde Kasedde (5th right) and the Special Presidential Advisor on Kampala Sarah Kanyike flags off some of the cyclists alongside Equity Bank staff before she flagged them off for the last leg of the Great African Cycling Safari (GACS) initiative, at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, September 19, 2022. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“Wherever you are going, you’re speaking East African, looking East African, and breathing East Africa, so we must support you. We are going to make an effort so that you’re properly catered because it is unfortunate that out of the 43 that started only 25 are remaining,” Kadaga noted before she flagged off the cyclists for the last leg of the event that will end in Nairobi on September 25.

Equity Bank Executive Director Elizabeth Mwerinde Kasedde said they were proud to be part of the team and that they were very interested in raising awareness about East African Integration, promotion of inter-region trade within East Africa, and awareness about climate change.

She promised more funds for the event noting that the more awareness it creates the more it will attract partners.

Kanyike thanked the cyclists and most especially the girls Saidat Mutimukeye from Rwanda and Shamal Nakabuye from Uganda for enduring the race and for the job well done. She also thanked Equity Bank, Jibu Water, a million trees international, Ibanda Community Network, Munansi Green Initiative, and Uganda Police that have provided the security.

GACS Director John Bosco Balongo said they were in favor of the integration of East Africa, peace, unity, trade, and tourism and that’s why they have cyclists from Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan Uganda, and Kenya. He said 43 cyclists had started the tour but only 25 are left, others have dropped out for various reasons. He said the riders needed at least $3000 (sh11m) to complete the last leg of this year’s event. He hailed Equity Bank as the first private company that has associated with them.