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The first edition of the MTN-sponsored Ker Alur Kingdom bicycle race competition dubbed “MTN Ker Alur Bicycle Races” was concluded on Saturday in the West Nile District of Zombo. The 100 participants were flagged off by the King of Ker Alur His Royal Majesty Ubimu Phillip Rauni III.

Launched two months ago, the races that are part of the ongoing partnership between MTN Uganda and the Ker Alur kingdom were a build-up to the upcoming 12th Coronation Anniversary of the King of Ker Alur. Under this partnership, MTN Uganda seeks to socioeconomically uplift the people of Ker Alur through health, education and sports initiatives.

As suggested by the King of the land, the bicycle races that were launched two months ago were held under the theme “Ending child Pregnancies and Marriage” in Alur land.

In his keynote speech at the grand finale of the bicycle racing competition, His Royal Majesty Philip Olarker Rauni III urged parents for good parenting of their young girls for better futures.

Charity-Kwiyucwiny-Holding-dummy-cheque-the-1strunner-up-in-the-womens-race-poses-for-a-photo-with-some-of-the-Ker-Alur-leaders

“The kingdom is working hard to ensure that early child marriages come to an end. We are striving to get rid of the cultural practices that fuel teenage pregnancies,” said his Royal Majesty Pjillip Olaker Rauni III.

The highly engaging bicycle races attracted 100 participants of all genders including women, men and differently-abled people from the three Ker Alur sub-regions of Pakwach, Nebbi and Zombo districts. 

Each of the 3 districts was represented by their top cyclists; The male participants rode a distance of 30 Kilometers while their female counterparts covered a distance of 15 Kilometers. The differently-abled people and children also took part in the race that saw all winners of the day walking away with assorted cash, among other prizes.

Charity Ayikuru from Nebbi district secured the first position in the women’s race category, a victory that saw her win the grand cash prize of Ugx.1,500,000/= and a brand-new bicycle. In the second position was Charity Kwiyucwiny from Zombo district. She walked away with Ugx.700,000/= while Magritte Agita from Nebbi, who came third won a cash prize of Ugx.300,000/=.

In the men’s category, Zombo district’s Nickson Asiimwe scooped the grand prize of Ugx.1,500,000 after emerging the winner. In second position was Pakwach’s Stephen Kumakech who won Ugx.700,000/= while Zombo’s Stephen Oboth who came third won Ugx.300,000/= all courtesy of MTN Uganda.

The King of Ker Alur waves to the masses during the MTN Ker Alur bucycle races finale that was held in Zombo over the weekend

Speaking at the event, Phillip Odoi the MTN Uganda Northern Region Business Manager thanked the King of Ker Alur for the great partnership that exists between MTN Uganda and the Kingdom.  

“This bicycle race has been very successful and it has clearly demonstrated what can be achieved if companies unite with communities for the greater good of society. We are happy to note that the partnership between MTN Uganda and Ker Alur is growing stronger. We pledge to keep supporting the Kingdom in its pursuit of socioeconomic growth and development.,” Odoi said.

Odoi further thanked the people of Ker Alur for embracing the races and for using the competition as an opportunity to sensitize the kingdom against early marriage and teenage pregnancy in the region. 

The King of ker Alur (C) alongside MTN and Ker Alur officials at the just concluded MTN Ker Alurbicycle races finale

Based on the 2019 agreement between Ker Alur Kingdom and MTN, the Telecom company has been working with the kingdom to enable the socio-economic upliftment of its people through sports, education and health.

In accordance with the agreement, MTN Uganda is set to officially launch a maternity ward at Pakwach Health Center IV that it refurbished and re-equipped in a bid to extend better maternal services in the region.

As a corporate company that is keen on promoting the notion of shared value, MTN is committed to working with Ker Alur Kingdom for the socio-economic upliftment of its people.

Below is the list of the MTN Ker Alur Final bicycle race winners and the prizes that they won. 

Women – 15 Kilometers
Position County Cyclists’ Name Cash Prize
1st Nebbi  Charity Ayikuru 1,500,000 and a bicycle
2nd Zombo Charity Kwiyucwiny 700,000
3rd Nebbi Magritte Agita 300,000
Men – 30 Kilometers
1st Zombo Nickson Asiimwe 1,500,000 
2nd Pakwach Stephen Kumakech 1,500,000
3rd Zombo Stephen Oboth 300,000

 

On the morning of Saturday 10th September 2022, the people of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom took to the streets of Kiryandongo to kick start the long-awaited “egaali za masaza” bicycle races sponsored by MTN Uganda.

The bicycle races were launched in the Kiryandongo district where the riders in anticipation of the races assembled at the Kiryandongo stadium where they set off for the official launch of the MTN-Bunyoro kingdom bicycle races.

The races will take place in all 13 counties of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom where the winners will be selected to represent their counties at the final race in Hoima district.

Alex Katushabe, the Chief administrative officer was present at the bicycle race launch standing in as a representative of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom’s Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaga who was unable to make it.

“With the great support from MTN Uganda, we will be able to transverse the 13 counties of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom and reach out to all our people to allow them the opportunity of taking part in this race,” Katushabe said, “we are thankful to the people of Bunyoro Kingdom because we have had positive feedback in response to the races and people have been peaceful even now at the start.” 

The launch race was won by Johnson Agaba coming in at the number 1 position, followed by Wilson Bwansi in second place, Patrick Senyonjo in third place, Emmanuel Yokosan in fourth place, and Hassan Ibrahim in the fifth position. All the winners were awarded a cash prize.

The bicycle races had one female participant named Catherine Atugonza who took on the men in an impressive tight competition and won a cash prize of UGX 100,000 and secured a spot to compete in the final race in Hoima where she will represent Kiryandongo.

Israel Kiiza, one of the participants in the bicycle races, thanked MTN for giving them the opportunity to enter a bicycle race competition.

“I am very grateful to MTN Uganda that I get to enter a sports competition because I have never had the chance before, but thanks to MTN I can now showcase my talent.” Said Kizza.

The first-ever bicycle race competition sponsored by MTN Uganda was recently successfully concluded in Tooro Kingdom. Another similar race is happening in the Ker Alur Kingdom with more such races to be launched in other communities.

MTN Uganda is committed to championing cultural heritage to foster unity and togetherness through sponsoring sports initiatives that also act as a platform for talent identification and a place to create awareness around social issues to bolster community growth and development.

The MTN-sponsored Tooro Kingdom bicycle race competition dubbed “Obugaali Bwa Masaza” were concluded yesterday in the Western District of Fort portal. The finale was flagged off by His Royal Highness King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, by riding a section of the route together with the other race participants.

Stephen Kiyingi, the Tooro Premier lauded King Oyo for fully supporting co-curricular activities in the Kingdom, and the rest of the community for participating in the event. He pledged full support for such kind of activities always.

These inter-county bicycle racing competitions were launched two months ago as a precursor to the 27th coronation anniversary of the Omukama of Tooro. The MTN-sponsored Obugaali Bwa Masaza competition has traversed all the 9 counties of the Kingdom with the supreme goal of fostering unity and cultural pride among the people of Tooro.

According to Micheal Wandera, the Tooro Kingdom sports minister, a total of 90 riders from the 9 counties in the Kingdom of Tooro, actively participated in the 20 and 25 Kilometre races from Karuziika to Kihondo and back to Buhinga stadium.

Each of the 9 counties (Masaza) was represented by their top 10 cyclists; 5 of whom rode ordinary bicycles while the other 5 rode sports bicycles. The ordinary bicycle category comprising 45 cyclists was flagged off from the Karuziika Tooro Royal palace for a 20-kilometer race that ended at the Buhinga Stadium while the remaining 45 sports bike cyclists were flagged off at Kisenyi in Fort Portal town for a 25-kilometer race that similarly ended at the Buhinga stadium where the winners were recognized and rewarded in an event attended by thousands of people including MTN officials.

Under the ordinary (manual) bicycle race category, Kyaka county secured the first three positions in the ordinary bicycle race category, a victory that saw the riders walk away with assorted cash prizes starting from Ush.2,000,000/-, Kibale County held the 4th position while Burahya FC held the fifth position. They too walked away with cash prizes courtesy of MTN Uganda.

 

Under the Sport Bikes, Kyaka County still secured the first and third positions while Fort Portal County took the second, fourth and fifth positions. Each of the winners walked away with a cash prize. 

 

Speaking at the event, Godfrey Muhindo, the Chief Commercial Officer – MTN Mobile Money Uganda Limited, thanked the Omukama of Tooro for the great partnership that exists between MTN Uganda and the Kingdom.  

“As MTN, we are strongly grounded in the belief that we are good together. We only succeed if the communities in which we operate succeed. Being a partner in development also means that we must work together to harness the social-economic opportunities in our communities,” Muhindo said.

Muhindo concluded by thanking the people of Tooro for embracing the races and for using the competition as an opportunity to network and pride in the heritage of the Kingdom.

The bicycle race, which is also the first of its kind in the Kingdom, has been concluded successfully without any disruptions and accident cases.

Below are the 2022 MTN & Kingdom of Tooro Obugaali Bwa Masaza race winners.

Ordinary Bicycle Winners – 20 Kilometers
Position County Cyclists’ Name Cash Prize
1st Kyaka County Aziz Kugonza  2,000,000
2nd Kyaka County Dante Atuhaire 1,000,000
3rd Kyaka County Jean Kasana 750,000
4th Kibale County Emmanuel Bizimana 500,000
5th Burahya County Nicholas Mugenyi 250,000
Sports Bicycle Winners – 25 Kilometers
1st Kyaka County Alvin Ategeka 1,500,000
2nd Fort Portal County David Sheemu 1,000,000
3rd Kyaka County Huzairu Kaweesi 750,000
4th Fort Portal County Peter Asiimwe 500,000
5th Fort Portal County Robert Tugume 250,000