Environmental conservation and athletics will go hand in hand this weekend as Uganda commemorates Olympic legend John Akii Bua with the 23rd edition of the annual Akii Bua Memorial Invitational Meet at Namboole Stadium.
A day before the main event, tree planting activities will be held at schools surrounding the Mandela National Stadium, including in Bweyogerere, Banda, and Kireka.
The initiative, led by officials from Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF), will include participation from school children and members of the public, aiming to inspire the younger generation to take part in environmental stewardship.
“On the eve of the main celebrations, we plan to plant around 1,000 trees at various schools in Bweyogerere, Banda, and Kireka, as well as at Mandela National Stadium. We are committed to creating a lasting legacy for a better environment,” said UAF spokesperson Namayo Mawerere.
The tree planting marks the start of the centennial celebration activities, which will culminate in Saturday’s Akii Bua Memorial Invitational Meet.
Named in honor of Uganda’s first Olympic gold medalist—who won the 400m hurdles at the 1972 Munich Games in a world record time—the event has grown in stature and is now a bronze-level fixture on the regional athletics calendar.
This year’s meet, which begins at 7:00 AM, features a $50,000 prize pool and is expected to draw top athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Burundi, and South Sudan.
Many of the international competitors are due to arrive in Uganda on Thursday, ahead of what promises to be a competitive and symbolic event.
