Written By | Alex Mbamanya
UOC president Dr Donald Rukare displays the running kit
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Bushenyi
The Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) president, Dr Donald Rukare, has challenged the leadership of Bushenyi and the entire western region over the slow pace of athletics talent identification. Rukare was speaking as the chief guest during the launch of the Olympic Day Tooke Run at the PIBID/BIRDC headquarters in Nyaruzinga, Bushenyi, on Tuesday. The run will be held on June 20 in Bushenyi, where participants will compete in the 5km, 10km, and 21km races.
PIBID-BIRDC director General Rev Prof Florence I Muranga leads the rest in slicinhg the cake
Basing his remarks on the newly discovered fact that Bushenyi sits 1,600 metres above sea level — a condition favourable for producing long-distance runners just like Kapchorwa — Rukare called upon stakeholders to embark on identifying athletic talent capable of producing another Joshua Cheptegei from the region.
“We have discovered that Bushenyi is 1,600 metres above sea level, and many of our athletes come from Kapchorwa, which is 2,500 metres above sea level. That is why you hear of our athletes winning because of such conditions. Part of our coming here is to identify talent, and that is why I am calling upon the district leadership and schools not to look at sports as just games. Sports is a one-trillion-dollar industry, and I call upon the district to invest in sports and you will not regret it. You might find that you are sitting on a Cheptegei from Bushenyi,” Rukare said.
PIBIDBIRDC director General Rev Prof Florence I Muranga (R) and UOC PRESIDENT Dr Donald Rukare with some of the Uganda team members that will represent the country at the younth olympics
In his launch speech, Rukare revealed how, over the past months, the Uganda Olympic Committee/Commonwealth Games Uganda and PIBID/BIRDC had forged a partnership grounded in the core values of Olympism — excellence, respect, and friendship.
He noted that these values not only guide athletes but also institutions aspiring to transform communities and build a healthier nation. He added that a central pillar of the partnership is nutrition for sports performance.
“We know that excellence on the track, in the ring, or on the field begins long before competition day. It begins with what our athletes eat. Proper nutrition fuels endurance, sharpens focus, accelerates recovery, and extends athletic careers. Without it, talent alone cannot carry an athlete to the podium,” Rukare noted.
He further acknowledged that PIBID/BIRDC brings unmatched value through innovation in banana industrial development, particularly through Tooke products, demonstrating that Uganda can produce high-quality, nutrient-rich foods that support both community wellbeing and elite sports performance.
“Our partnership is therefore not symbolic; it is strategic. It positions sport as a platform for promoting better nutrition, and nutrition as a foundation for sporting excellence,” he said.
Rukare explained that the Olympic Day Tooke Run is a national expression of this shared vision, adding that it is more than a celebration of Olympism.
UOC president Dr Donald Rukare hands the kits to Uganda Police officer
“It is a call to action, inviting communities to embrace healthier lifestyles, encouraging families to adopt better nutrition habits, and demonstrating how local agricultural innovation can support both everyday health and high-performance sport,” he said.
This year’s event comes at a pivotal moment as Uganda prepares for major multi-sport engagements, including the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar and the Commonwealth Games. Rukare said Ugandan athletes will carry the national flag onto global stages and deserve every advantage possible.
The launch was attended by PIBID/BIRDC Director General Rev. Prof. Florence I. Muranga, who is also the Nutrition Ambassador; former Bushenyi District LCV chairperson Jaffar Basajjabalaba; newly sworn-in LCV chairperson Prosper Twebaze; members of Uganda’s youth team that will represent the country at the October–November Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal; Bushenyi leaders led by RDC Emmy Ngabirano; and other district stakeholders. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has been confirmed as the chief runner.
Torch Media Africa
