The 2019 MTN-Kampala marathon is on this Sunday morning starting at Kololo air strip and thousands of runners are braced for the biggest marathon in Uganda.
MTN-Uganda are the headline sponsors alongside Stanbic bank, Rwenzori and Spedag Interfreight as the other sponsors.
The marathon will be shown live on Sanyuka TV as runners run for healthy and fitness on top of contributing towards community benefiting project.
This year’s marathon proceeds are geared towards improving maternal health services across the country. “There is an estimated 336 deaths per 100,000 live births -making Uganda’s maternal mortality rate one of the highest in the world. The proceeds from the regional runs will go towards the improvement of maternal services in health center IV facilities across the country,” noted MTN-Uganda Acting Chief marketing officer Sen Somdev.
The participants take part in the 42km, 21km and 10km races with record breakers; both men and women in the 42km main race set to earn Shs25m each while the winner will go home smiling with Shs20m respectively.
The first and second runners up will earn Shs10m and Shs5m respectively with the prize money also getting down to the 10th.
In the 21km category, both male and female winner will get Shs4.5m cash prize while the first and second runners up will earn Shs2.5m and Shs1.5m respectively.
In the 10km category, the winner gets Shs1.5m while the runners up get Shs800,000 and Shs500,000 respectively.
In the corporate category, the winning company gets Shs3.4m to offer to any registered charity of their wish while 5km wheel chair race will earn the winner Shs1.5m.
According to Uganda athletics federation, there has been a route change due to the inconveniences experienced last year while the delay to have this exciting charitable annual marathon listed on the International athletics federation (IAF) calendar has been attributed to the continued change of routes.
Launched 15 years ago, the MTN Kampala marathon has raised up to Shs3bn with last year’s edition fetching up to Shs633m.
This year’s edition was preceded by regional runs in towns of Soroti, Arua and Masaka respectively.
