The Independence Marathon brought hundreds of runners to Kampala’s Northern Bypass on Sunday, October 4, in a fundraising campaign aimed at improving blood storage capacity at Mengo Hospital and supporting efforts to save mothers and other patients.
The event featured full marathon, half-marathon, 10-kilometre and 5-kilometre races, temporarily turning part of the Northern Bypass into a course for runners while raising awareness about maternal health.
Public relations practitioner Allan Ssempebwa Kyobe highlighted the unusual closure of the bypass, saying it was not for road maintenance but for a health cause.
“Kabushenga has magic! He got the Northern Bypass closed! This time not for MAINTENANCE works but for another cause; saving lives of mothers!” Kyobe posted on X.
The fundraising effort is focused on upgrading blood storage facilities at Mengo Hospital, with organisers linking the campaign to the need for reliable access to blood for women experiencing complications during childbirth as well as other patients requiring transfusions.
The marathon also provided a platform for organisers of the Gulu City Marathon to promote their forthcoming event, with representatives from the northern Uganda race participating in the Kampala event in matching kits.
The Gulu City Marathon is scheduled for December 5 at Kaunda Grounds in Gulu City.
Organisers have announced several race categories, including a 42-kilometre full marathon, alongside shorter distances and a wheelchair category. The event will also include cultural activities and HIV-awareness campaigns.
Organisers are targeting more than 2,500 participants as they seek to use the marathon to promote fitness while showcasing developments and opportunities in the Acholi sub-region.
The growing number of road races in Uganda has increasingly linked sport to fundraising and public-awareness campaigns, using mass participation to draw attention to health and community-development issues.
For the Gulu organisers, the December event is intended to go beyond competition, combining athletics with cultural promotion and health messaging.
The Kampala event therefore served two purposes for the northern Uganda organisers: promoting the Gulu race while joining a wider running community using sport to mobilise support for social causes.
The Gulu City Marathon will take place on December 5 at Kaunda Grounds, with organisers expecting runners from Gulu and other parts of Uganda to participate.
