UOC and Tooke Launch Olympic Day Run in Bushenyi with Museveni as Chief Runner

The Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) and premium banana flour brand Tooke, produced by the Banana Industrial Research & Development Centre (BIRDC), launched the Tooke Run at Sheraton Hotel Kampala. This event marks a key initiative under their March partnership to boost athlete health and development ahead of major competitions like the Commonwealth Games and Youth Olympics.

Olympic Day, observed globally since 1948 on June 23 to honor sport, health, and Olympic values, will be celebrated early in Uganda on June 20 in Bushenyi. UOC Vice President Godwin Kayangwe highlighted the alignment with Olympism’s core values of excellence, respect, and friendship, positioning sports as a driver for transforming matooke from a subsistence crop into a high-value product.

BIRDC Director General Rev. Professor Florence Isabirye Muranga, also UOC’s nutrition ambassador, emphasized the run’s goals: sponsoring excellence, supporting vulnerable groups nutritionally, enhancing health awareness, and integrating agricultural value chains. Former champion runner Moses Kipsiro endorsed the event, stressing nutrition’s role in athletic performance, injury prevention, and recovery.

Uganda Athletics General Secretary Beatrice Ayikoru welcomed the initiative for empowering Bushenyi, a hub of top runners and prime banana farms. The event expects 5,000 participants, including 50 partner schools, elite athletes, and locals via the Bushenyi District Athletics Association.

Event Details:

• Date: June 20
• Venue: Bushenyi
• Categories: 5km, 10km, 21km
• Kit Fee: Shs35,000
• Theme: Move, Learn and Discover for Nutrition-Care
• Chief Runner: President Yoweri Museveni

This story is based on a report from Daily Monitor (Uganda).