IAG targets 50,000 runners for the Coffee Marathon in Ntungamo

The Inspire Africa Group (IAG) plans to host 50,000 participants for the inaugural Coffee Marathon on May 24 in Ntungamo.

The event will include 42, 21, 12, and 5km routes, beginning and ending at the $132 million (sh489t) Africa Coffee Park in Rwashamaire. It will be held under the theme "uplifting rural coffee women out of poverty."

Outstanding runners in the 42, 21, and 12km will share a total of sh116.5m, with the overall champions of the marathon and half marathon receiving sh10 million each from the sh70 million prize pool for the top 20 runners in both genders. In total, 50 athletes, including those from the 12km route, will walk away with cash in the event in which Dorcus Inzikuru is the marathon’s ambassador.

Addressing a press conference at which the partners of the event were unveiled at Twed Towers in Kampala on Thursday, Nelson Tugume, the CEO of Inspire Africa Group, noted that there was a need to uplift local farmers so that they could begin to benefit from their efforts.

The Coffee Marathon ambassador Dorcus Inzikuru (center) poses with Dr. Lim Lim (left) the Chairman and Nelson Tugume (right) the CEO of Inspire Africa Group during the unveiling of the partners for the inaugural edition of the Coffee Marathon. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

"I request that you come in large numbers so that we can make this the largest marathon in sub-Saharan African history. We have printed 50,000 running kits, and the earnings from the race will go toward the establishment of a coffee fund to help women rise above their current circumstances,” Tugume said.

“We are mobilizing the whole country and the world to start appreciating our coffee so that we can start earning more from it. We must use people to be able to realise and market our coffee at that high level,” he said.

He said the target is to attract one million coffee tourists in the long run, which could rake in $2b in our economy.

The run will be preceded by the commissioning of the coffee plant by President Yoweri Museveni on May 21, which will be followed by an Africa Business and Investment Forum on May 22 before the run and concert on May 24. On May 25, which is also Africa Day, an ‘Inspire Women Conference’ sponsored by DFCU Bank will also be held as part of the activities.

“This is a dream that will bring transformation to our society, to our families and our communities

He said in October the country will also host the coffee festival which ten heads of state will attend, and that they will also invite film star Tyrese Gibson to open markets for Ugandan coffee and market the country in the US.

Runners can register for the event by dialling *217*413# with their phones and following the prompts to register for the Coffee Marathon at a fee of sh30,000/-. The fee comes with a running kit, and access to the Coffee Marathon Concert that will be headlined by Tanzanian bongo flava artist Diamond Platnumz.

The partners of the run include Vision Group, DFCU Bank, Equity Bank, Bank of Uganda, Uganda Tourism Board, the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, UBC, NBS, the Ministry of Finance, and Uganda Wildlife Authority.

These were represented by Hellena Mayanja (dfcu), Anjelo Okot (BOU), (Clare Tumwesigye (Equity Bank), Dorcus Rukundo Twesigomwe (UWA), and Joshua Isiko alongside IAG chairman Lim Lim.

The Inspire Africa Coffee Factory aims to revolutionize Uganda’s coffee industry, providing an opportunity to elevate local investors while strengthening the country’s economic potential. The factory is poised to set a benchmark for coffee value addition in both Uganda and the broader East African region.