Museveni to grace students' half marathon
President Yoweri Museveni will be chief guest at Uganda’s first ever students’ half marathon.
By James Bakama
Students’ half marathon October 12
President Yoweri Museveni will be chief guest at Uganda’s first ever students’ half marathon.
Museveni will preside over the October 12 event at Kololo Ceremonial Ground that will serve as a fundraising for schools in Karamoja and West Nile.
Inspector General of Police General Kale Kayihura will be the chief runner of the Uganda National Students Association organized event.
“We are working with the Education and Sports Ministry to also have star athletes like Stephen Kiprotich,” explained organizing committee chairman Kenneth Wenani.
Wenani said they are targeting sh120m for borehole construction and scholastic materials. Pokot Secondary School, Amudat district and Panyimur Secondary School in Nebbi district will be the beneficiaries.
Besides lifting educational standards, exposure and talent identification of runners and linking potential employers with students, the event also aims at increasing awareness on reproductive health.
University and tertiary students will pay a sh5000 entry fee while none students will part with sh10, 000. Secondary schools will pay sh200, 000 per school.
Karamoja, with names like Benjamin Longiros, Hillmark Lobunei, Michael, Lopeyok and Wilson Achia, has a rich history on long distance running. In an effort to tap into this potential the organisers will have five runners coming from each of the Karamoja districts.
Runners have a five, ten and 21 kilometer events to choose from on a day that will be highlighted with a speech by President Museveni.
Flag-off and finish will be at the Kololo Ceremonial grounds. UNSA is the supreme students’ body in Uganda. It is established under section 30 of the Education Act.
Its core objective is to oversee the general welfare of students in the country. Students, employees in the Prime Ministers’ office, other ministries, foreign missions, the business community, media and telecom companies, banks, NGOs, police and the army are amongst those expected in the run.
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