Minister of Sports activities Peter Ogwang has unveiled the Kampala Metropolis Marathon tamplate, emphasising its significance in enhancing tourism and funding in Uganda.
Ogwang stated the federal government goals to showcase Uganda’s socio-cultural and financial richness by way of the marathon whereas additionally selling public well being by way of common bodily exercise to fight non-communicable illnesses.
“The Kampala Metropolis Marathon goals to focus on Uganda’s cultural and financial heritage whereas encouraging bodily exercise to forestall non-communicable illnesses,” Minister Ogwang declared throughout a media briefing.
The brand new marathon leaves the MTN Kampala Marathon, a signature annual occasion with a charity spine, in limbo given the timing.
The MTN Kampala Marathon, which attracts worldwide runners, had taken place yearly since 2004 when it was launched aside from the 2 Covid-19-affected years.
Nevertheless, final yr, the organisers went chilly on the occasion, saying they had been taking a step again to realign their imaginative and prescient and “innovate round how one can distinguish ourselves and turn out to be extra impactful for the years to return”.
“We are going to due to this fact not be having the MTN Kampala Marathon this yr however will quickly announce the following transformative chapter on this outstanding journey that now we have all come to cherish,” MTN stated final yr.
However with the Kampala Metropolis Marathon already launched, the possibilities of MTN’s extremely profitable occasion returning on the town’s calendar are slim.
Minister Ogwang outlined the marathon as a decade-long challenge geared toward branding Kampala Metropolis and Uganda as premier vacationer locations, thus boosting income technology.
Minister Ogwang projected the participation of over 65,000 people all through the last decade, urging Ugandans to actively interact on this nationwide initiative for mutual profit.
The marathon, poised to turn out to be one among Africa’s prime races, is anticipated to draw tens of 1000’s of tourists, showcasing Uganda’s famend long-distance operating custom and celebrating its distinctive magnificence and variety.
“The Ministry of Training and Sports activities, in collaboration with the Uganda Athletics Federation, the Personal Sector, and related Authorities Ministries, Departments, and Businesses, will organise the marathon,” Ogwang stated.
Scheduled for December 2024, the marathon will function races protecting distances of 42.195km, 21.097km, 10km, and 5km, welcoming each elite and leisure native and worldwide runners.
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“The Ministry envisions the participation of over 65,000 people within the marathon over the following decade,” Ogwang emphasised.
The marathon’s occasions will function platforms to showcase Uganda’s pure magnificence and cultural range, offering alternatives for the native enterprise neighborhood to exhibit their services and products globally.
Along with leisure and a cultural pageant, the marathon will embrace Safari packages to numerous vacationer locations following the marathon weekend.
Whereas the federal government takes the lead in organising the annual Kampala Metropolis Marathon, it calls upon all Ugandans to actively take part to maximise the related advantages.
Funding for the marathon’s organisation can be supplied by the President of Uganda, underscoring his dedication to selling bodily exercise as a method to forestall non-communicable illnesses.
Following the preliminary 4 years, the marathon is anticipated to turn out to be self-sustaining by way of contributions from the personal sector and occasion proceeds.
“I urge all Ugandans to hitch the Authorities in collaborating within the marathon inside their capacities. With the help of the private and non-private sector, we goal to foster a conducive atmosphere for public well being by way of bodily exercise,” Ogwang stated.