Buganda Kingdom in partnership with Airtel Uganda, have launched the 2023 Kabaka Birthday Run in effort to end the prevalence of HIV/ AIDS in Uganda.
The run is scheduled to take place on Sunday 16th April 2023 and will be flagged off by Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.
This year’s Run is intended to raise awareness and strengthen the efforts to fight the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in Buganda and Uganda at large, under the theme: “The fight to end HIV/AIDS by 2030.”
While presiding over the launch, the Katikiro of Buganda Kingdom Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga has noted that after putting up a strong fight against Fistula and Sickle Cells, the Kingdom embarked on a fight against HIV/AIDS in Buganda and in other parts of Uganda through the Kabaka Birthday Run which attracts over 80,000 participants annually.
Owek. Mayiga emphasized the need for men to champion the fight against the spread of HIV. Katikiro is still wondering why it is so had for men to walk in health facilities with their wives to do HIV tests. He added that it’s now high time men to walk the talk in fighting against this disease. ‘’The health population make positive contribution to the growth of the economy, that’s why Kabaka wants his subjects to always stay health. Mayiga added.
He further commended airtel support in transforming the lives of Kabaka’s subjects and Ugandans at large. ‘’We know that their contribution towards the run will greatly support the fight against HIV/AIDS because Buganda’s productivity is premised on a healthy population” he said
On his part, the Airtel Uganda Managing Director Murali Manoj noted that since 2019, Airtel Uganda together with Buganda Kingdom and UNAIDS has continued to drive awareness about the danger of HIV/ AIDS in the society through the Kabaka Birthday Run.
According to him, this forms part of the company’s sustainability strategy of transforming lives in Uganda. He added “The Kabaka Birthday Run is a great platform for millions of Ugandans to Celebrate the life of Kabaka Ronald Mutebi II.
Data from UNAIDS, the leading organization in the fight against HIV/AIDS, indicates that by 2021, 38.4 million people globally were living with HIV. The report also indicated that although 1.5 million people became newly infected with HIV, there was a reduction in New HIV infections reflecting a 54% drop since the peak in 1996.
The Buganda Kingdom urged the public to come out in huge numbers to support the HIV/AIDs awareness drive by participating in the Run and Kingdom’s activities. The running kits worth Ushs 20,000/- include a vest, a water bottle and cap
