Related Articles
BY RICHARD DRASIMAKU
ARUA: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2025
On December 28, 2025, all roads in West Nile are expected to lead to the open ground next to the regional office of the Prime Minister Refugee Programs in Arua City where a an athletics competition will be launched from.
The run structured in 2km, 5km, 10km and 21km for long distance runners is purposed to raise funds to support sponsorship of brilliant but financially constrained students for top notch university courses in a public university in Uganda.
Robert Ejiku, the Vice President of the West Nile Education Trust Fund explained the importance of supporting and sustaining the fund, saying they discovered that education standards in west Nile were going down and the region lags behind other regions in Uganda.
He said this is a dangerous trend that the fund seeks to address by identifying needy students who are bright but constrained by poverty.
Since its inception at registration as a Trust Fund in 2014 and mega launch in 2018, the West Nile Education Trust Fund has sponsored 27 students, 13 of whom are still in the process of completing their studies.
They pursued bachelor’s degrees in nursing science, medicine and surgery, pharmacy, Civil and mechanical engineering.
“We have educated doctors, pharmacists and engineers who are working and serving nationally and internationally,” said Ejiku.
This is going to be the second run in a row after the first one last year when about sh20m was mobilized from runners and education enthusiast.
The marathon, also being used as an awareness creation opportunity has received clearance from the Uganda Athletics, the governing body of competitive and philanthropic runs that has gazetted the last week of the month of December as the West Nile Education Marathon Week.
“We want our people to appreciate the importance of education and to promote talent in sports and other areas of athletics but also to reap health benefits, especially among the corporate class,” Ejiku said.
He added that organizers’ target for 2025 is 1500 participants who should come from all the 13 districts, municipalities and the City in West Nile.
To achieve this purpose, the organizers have opened sales centers for running kits that include a running vest, a cap, and a bag sold from sh30,000 upwards.
The kits can be found at Muni University, Total Petrol Station, Orasea Super Market, Centenary bank, The West Nile Golf Club, National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Maridadi Shop in Euata and Crown Beverage Deports and West Nile Rural Electrification Company Offices in Arua City.
“You can be part of this event both physically and virtually,” he said with a gaze towards the West Nile people and friends in Diaspora.
Bernard Atiku, the former member of parliament of Ayivu County described the upcoming marathon as a just course.
He called on the people to turn up in big numbers and buy the kits even if they will not participate in the actual run since the money they give to the Trust Fund will be spend productively.
Atiku who is also vying for the Ayivu West Parliamentary seat has challenged all parliamentary candidates in West Nile to suspend campaigns on the run day and mobilize people to participate in the marathon, with the candidates leading by example.
He also challenged the telecommunication companies that have strong presence in West Nile to stand up and be counted among corporates who care about education in the sub-region.
Assoc Prof Simon Anguma, the Vice Chancellor of Muni University welcomed the initiative and pledged the university’s total support and active participation in the run.
The doctors who were sponsored under the West Nile Education Trust Fund will organize a week-long health camp to close the Year 2025.
