Police To Run And Raise Funds For Uganda’s Special Olympic Team

Apr 30, 2003

On May 27, a group of policemen are going to prove to Ugandans, that they do not only run after thieves, but also run for other good causes.

On May 27, a group of policemen are going to prove to Ugandans, that they do not only run after thieves, but also run for other good causes. One hundred police officers, led by the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Katumba Wamala, will run from one police station to another in Kampala, in a fundraising race dabbed ‘The Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics’.
The race is intended to raise money to assist 40 young athletes with intellectual disabilities, who are to participate in the famous World Special Olympics scheduled to take place in Dublin/ Belfast, Ireland in June this year.
The 100 police officers will have to be sponsored by a member of the community or a business enterprise. The chief runner, Maj. Gen. Katumba Wamala is worth sh500,000. The rest of the officers will be sponsored at sh100,000. A list of these officers will be published and the public is called upon to support the run. Potential sponsors can also contact Mr. Emmanuel Busulwa, the chairman of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Committee on Tel. 071667715.
The Police PRO, Mr. Asuman Mugenyi, also a member of the committee can be contacted .
The Nabagereka of Buganda, Lady Sylvia Nagginda launched a grand fundraising drive for the team on March 18, at Makindye and called upon individuals and organisations to contribute to this noble cause.
“Its against this background that the Uganda Police Force has come up to respond to this call,” said Busulwa.
“We want to show that the Police does not only effect arrests, but supports the well-being of society by working in partnership with the community,” Busulwa said.
According to Mr. Edward Babumba, the national director and founder of Special Olympics Uganda, out of the required sh130m, only sh23m has been raised.
“We intend to make an appeal to the President and to other well wishers to support the team. We shall also organise a fundraising dinner at Hotel Africana and hope the public will support this cause by attending,” Babumba, who is a father of two mentally handicapped children said.
In the past, Ugandan children with intellectual disabilities, have shown superb performance in the games. In 1995, in the city of Heven, Connecticut, USA, they brought home two gold, four silver and four bronze medals. In 1999, in North Carolina, they brought five gold, nine silver and seven bronze medals, out of the 23 athletes they fielded.
“We are actually the team that has brought in the biggest number of medals. This time we intend to bring home 30 medals,” Babumba said.
The Special Olympic Games were started in 1958 in Chicago, USA by Mrs Eunice Kennedy and run every after two years with one leg in summer and another in winter. The games bring together intellectually handicapped children to compete in different games. The next Olympics are in winter 2005, in Japan. Ends

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