Kabaka receives award for spearheading HIV/AIDS fight
Nov 30, 2020
The virtual run went beyond the Lubiri with many other people running from their places of abode and across the country
Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi has promised to continue with his UNAIDS ambassadorial role in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Speaking to about 150 people who participated in the Airtel Kabaka Birthday Run in Lubiri, Mengo on Sunday, the Kabaka thanked UNAIDS for choosing him to lead the campaign and all the participants for turning up in spite of the current restrictions on large assemblies.
He said the run was one of the activities intended to celebrate what the kingdom has achieved and those that they aspire to achieve in terms of diseases control and most especially with HIV/AIDS.
"To fight all these diseases and defeat them we need a country where there is peace and a good working relationship with those in charge of the health sector," Mutebi said.
"I cannot leave without talking about the recent protests that left children, mums, dads, grandparents killed on November 18 and 19. I console all those who lost their lives and urge the authorities to ensure a commission of inquiry is instituted to investigate the killings.
"A lot of blood has been shade since independence with Ugandans killing each other I appeal to authorities to ensure people don't just lose their lives anyhow but instead to value the lives of Ugandans," Mutebi stated before flagging off the runners/walkers over a 3km route inside the Lubiri.
Katikkiro Charles Mayiga urged the public to adhere to the Kabaka's health drives to ensure an HIV/AIDS disease-free country by 2030.
Uganda AIDS Commission Director-General Nelson Musooba presented a plaque to the Kabaka to thank him for his participation in the fight against HIV/AIDS while UNAIDS Country Director, Dr Karusa Kiragu-Gikonyo also hailed the Kabaka for spearheading the fight against HIV/AIDS and for accepting the best ambassadorial role of the organization.
She also carried a message from the UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima who also praised the Kabaka for his efforts in the fight against diseases in the region and outside Uganda
"You are the best that we have; I have never seen anyone work like you do, the way you deploy your resources and the way your team supports this cause is remarkable," Karusa said.
He thanked the organisers for choosing a powerful and important theme of the run ‘Men against AIDS to save the girl child' that has brought men to the forefront so that their hard work is recognised.
She said there are 1000 HIV/AIDS infections every week and 1.4 million people already leaving with the disease in Uganda which calls for more efforts to ensure the numbers go down.
Second Deputy Katikkiro Abbas Kaawaase, Buganda sports minister Henry Ssekabembe, and a number of Buganda ministers, Prince David Wasajja, Airtel managing director Manoj Mulari, DFCU Bank managing director Mathias Katamba, Uganda AIDS Commission, KCCA executive director Dorothy Kisaka all led teams that participated in the run.
The virtual run went beyond the Lubiri with many other people running from their places of abode and across the country.
A team from the Karamoja Games led by their chairman Richard Okot also participated in the run for the first time from their respective 9 districts that make the region.
"We have been participating in all runs since 2018 and we had also decided to participate in the Kabaka Run in April but when it was postponed, we kept training at our respective homes. So today we also came out to participate in honour of the Kabaka and we shall participate in the subsequent runs," Okot stated.