The Uganda Olympic Committee and its partners will turn their attention to Bushenyi District on Saturday, June 20, as the Olympic Day Tooke Run takes centre stage with a mission that stretches far beyond sport.
Held under the theme “Move, Learn, Discover with Nutrition-Care”, the event is expected to bring together athletes, officials, community leaders and members of the public in a campaign that links physical activity, nutrition and youth development.
The run is the result of a partnership between the Uganda Olympic Committee and the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), with organisers using the event to raise awareness about child malnutrition while also supporting Uganda’s future sporting ambitions.
A key focus of the initiative is fundraising for young athletes targeting the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal. Organisers also hope to generate support for nutrition programmes aimed at vulnerable children, particularly during the critical weaning stage.
Speaking ahead of the event, PIBID Director General and Uganda Olympics and Commonwealth Games Nutrition Ambassador Rev. Prof. Florence Isabirye Muranga described the run as a platform for promoting healthier lifestyles and showcasing the importance of proper nutrition in both sport and everyday life.
The campaign is also expected to highlight TOOKE, a banana-based flour product developed through local research and innovation. Organisers believe the product can play a role in improving nutrition while creating new market opportunities for Uganda’s agricultural sector.
For its inaugural edition, the Olympic Day Tooke Run has set an ambitious fundraising target of UGX 4.47 billion. Part of the funds will support a long-term nutritional legacy programme, while the remainder will go towards organising and sustaining the initiative.
With Olympic Day celebrations traditionally promoting participation in sport regardless of age or ability, Saturday’s event is expected to combine community engagement, health awareness and national pride as Bushenyi hosts one of the country’s most distinctive Olympic Day activities.
