Coronavirus: Kabaka Birthday Run Called Off

The Kingdom of Buganda confirmed the postponement of the long awaited Kabaka’s birthday run amid the global COVID 19 outbreak.

This year’s birthday run is among the activities intended to celebrate the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II’s 65th birthday and was slated for 5th April 2020.

The other birthday celebration activities like Volleyball and squash have also suffered the same fate.

The cancellation of the Kabaka Birthday Run was confirmed by the Buganda Kingdom Prime minister, Charles Peter Mayiga on Thursday at Bulange, Mengo in Kampala.

“Following the Government directives on all public gatherings announced by the president of Uganda, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as preventative measures to avert the Coronavirus spread, a number of Buganda Kingdom activities have been called off,” he said.

The Katikkiro added, “The affected sporting events includes the children’s games, Airtel Kabaka Birthday run, Squash and the volleyball festival have been put on hold until the situation stabilizes.”

In Buganda Kingdom, a couple of non-sporting events were earlier called off earlier this week.

The whole host of events included Kabaka’s tour to Kakuuto and Mutukula, the Lukiiko, chairperson’s meeting, brainstorming meeting about water and natural resources in Entebbe, launch of Mmwanyi terimba drive, Magombololoa meeting, Church service for Kabaka birthday celebrations at Lubaga church, PEWOSA exhibition, Last funeral rites of the late John Luswata (father of Nnaabagereka).

The cancellation joins other sports disciplines that have that have been put on hold because of the pandemic including Uganda Premier League, National Basketball League, Cricket Schools League, 2020 Chess Olympiad Qualifiers, among others.

The 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament that was to be played in Cameroon was also put on hold together with the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.