Cancer Run: Deputy Speaker of Parliament named chief runner

Event: Rotary Cancer Run

Day: Sunday, August 27

Time: 7am

KAMPALA - The 2018 Rotary Cancer Run organising committee chair, Henry Rugamba has unveiled the Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Uganda, Jacob Oulanyah as chief runner at this year's run.

The run is scheduled for Sunday. It will take place in different parts of the country.

The main run will be at Kololo ceremonial grounds and other 36 major towns across the country.

Rugamba told the New Vision that as organisers, they are happy to have legislators' involvement in the run and fight against cancer as well as contributing money towards the noble cause.

"We are excited to have the Deputy Speaker of Parliament as our guest of honour and chief runner this year, the Parliament of Uganda has always supported this run starting last year where each Member of Parliament contributed sh1m and will do the same this year," Rugamba explained.

The money raised from the run will be used to buy two linear accelerators, one of the most modern cancer treatment machines in the world and their bunker at Nsambya Hospital.

The total project cost for the two machines and bunker that can house them is estimated at sh18b.

The Rotary Cancer Run started in 2012.

As the main sponsors of the run, the Parliament of Uganda and Centenary Bank have contributed sh458m and sh155m respectively.

Davis and Shirtliff sh10m, Platinum Credit sh8m, Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) sh5m, Pepsi/Nivana have given water worth sh37m, Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UBOS) sh5m and Ministry of Foreign Affairs sh5m, KPMG sh10m, Tullow Oil sh5m, Uganda Road Fund sh5m, Uganda Electricity Transmission Company (UETC) sh5m, Stanbic Bank sh10m and Toyota sh7.6m.