The Inspector General of Police Kale Kaihura will be the chief runner during the inaugural Private Sector and Uganda Police organized, Ibanda Marathon run in Ibanda town on Saturday.
Patrick Bitature
He will lead a group of MPs, ministers, police officers and civil servants in the event aimed at raising money to help in community policing.
Over 2000 people including elite runners are expected to compete for top prizes that include a motorcycle, a flat screen TV with a Home Theater and music system among other prizes are up for grabs in the Uganda Athletics Federation marshalled event. The race will have runners competing in a 5km, 12 and 21km races.
Addressing a press conference during the launch of the run at Protea Hotel, Private Sector Foundation Chairman Patrick Bitature, a native of Ibanda, said the run is organized under the theme ‘Raising Awareness of Community Policing’. Sh50m is expected to be raised at the one-day event.
He said that all proceeds will go towards the over 900 local registered crime preventers in an effort geared at reinforcing the work of the Police. The fundraising run will be extended to other districts.
Registration is open at all Simba Telecom shops in Kampala and other towns upon payment of sh10,000 per person, which entitles them to a competition T-shirt and free refreshments on the day.
“We zeroed on the marathon for this campaign because we wanted to raise the awareness levels as the marathon attracts many people. I feel the private sector has the responsibility to work with local communities in the early detection and prevention of crime in the areas we do business,” Bitature stated.
He said there was a lot of good will from the private sector because security is paramount and Uganda now is an oasis of peace but we should not take this for granted.
ASP Asuman Mugenyi hailed the Private Sector for understanding that policing is not only a mandate of the Police but everyone has a big stake in because development can only happen when there is security.
“We need to team up to identify problems and find solutions together; so far we have about 5000 crime preventers in Ibanda and it is our hope that we can have at least 30 crime preventers per village so with this help we shall be able to raise 17,910 crime preventers for Ibanda that has a population of 268,000 people in 597 villages,” Mugenyi stated.
He said the money spent on investigating crime will then be able to be channeled to other development needs of the population.
“Crime is very expensive so we should work jointly to fight it,”
The event is supported by New Vision, Crane Bank, LG, Microsoft, Tecno, Century Bottling Company, Sadolin Paints, Stanbic, Stanchart Bank, Orient Bank, Tian Tang, Pearl Diaries and Simba Telecom.
Michael Nsubuga, The New Vision