The organizers of the George William Owaraga memorial cycling race in Pallisa District are determined to make it one of the most sought-after races in the country after a successful third edition that drew massive crowds recently.

According to one of the family members, Silver Owaraga, the annual race has not only awakened the sport in the region, but the Uganda Cycling Association is planning to use it as a qualifier for major events because of the popularity it has garnered in just three years.

“The UCA is planning to organize an only-women race in the region because there is already growing interest for that gender in the sport, and already there are some potential sponsors who want to bankroll the women’s competition, so it can only get bigger because it is also the only major competition that the UCA now has outside the central region,” Owaraga stated.

Two years ago, the district welcomed the first-ever cycling race in Bukedi in the eastern region of the country, which attracted elite riders from Kampala, from which Aziz Ssempijja emerged the winner, walking away with sh500,000.

Last year, a massive turnout of both riders and fans participated in the race, which had sh2m in cash prizes and was also used to create awareness about the environment.

“There is also an environmental aspect attached to the event because Pallisa is one of the most-littered towns in Uganda, so we used the event to drum up the campaign to get rid of polythene bags in the district,” Owaraga stated.

“During the women’s race, we shall also continue to sensitize the potential riders on the safety measures they have to undertake because, in the last competition, many were ejected for lacking basic competition gear like helmets.".

“We are now awaiting the association to set dates for the women's race so that we can continue growing the sport in the region and the country at large,” he noted.

George Owaraga, in whose memory the race is organized, was a former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works and the Past President of the Rotary Club of Entebbe. He was one of the first engineers in the country and passed away on November 1, 2020.

The former resident of Entebbe, parishioner of St. Johns Church-Entebbe and the Chief of the Ikaribwok Isekielio Clan of the Iteso died at the age of 90.