The first Kabaka’s Birthday Run in United Kingdom took place today Saturday 13th April 2019 in Hyde Park. This year’s theme is sickle cells awareness.
The run took place in Hyde Park, central London and was flagged off by Omubaka wa Ssaabasajja Kabaka in United Kingdom and Ireland, Ronald Lutaaya. The 6-mile run was from Hyde Park to Notting Hill and back.
Following the run, Omubaka Ronald Lutaaya addressed the runners. He thanked all participants for attending the first ever Kabaka Birthday run in United Kingdom and that there are plans to make this an annual event in the United Kingdom.
He noted that the initial runs in Buganda focussed on helping women with Fistula and over 5,000 women have received free operations funded by the Kabaka’s birthday runs. Now those women who were afflicted by fistula and would stay away from the public, are now vibrant, hardworking and are thankful to the Kabaka.
Now the focus is on sickle cells which affects many people in Buganda, and many do not receive treatment. All funds raised will go towards sickle cells.
Omubaka told the runners that the Kabaka has so far bought 40 machines and has given them to hospitals. These are smaller machines and omubaka stated that the community in the United Kingdom and Ireland want to carry out fundraising and send it to Buganda.
He stated that all those with sickle cells are treated in this campaign and that the Kabaka’s campaign does not discriminate. For instance, those treated at Kitovu for Fistula are not just Baganda, however, all people in Buganda came along and were operated upon. The same applies to sickle cell sufferers.
The funds raised from the run was shown to the runners and will be delivered to the Katikkiro. More donations were promised.
Mukyala Jacinta Mulwana, who works in a sickle cells unit and is a specialist sickle cells nurse, addressed the runners and explained that one of the ways that sickle cell sufferers are treated is by hooking them to a machine that takes out the blood with sickle cells and replaces that with fresh (donated) blood. The machine costs £60,000 in the UK. The machine also requires various accessories.
Omubaka Lutaaya went on to urge the runners to participate in all Kabaka related activities because most of the things the Kabaka focusses on are related to health and prosperity of the people and for the education children who lack funding.
The deputy high commissioner, ambassador Mugerwa thanked the runners and organisers on behalf of the Uganda high commission. He said such occasions are important as they remind us of our heritage and culture and to take this forward.
A cake to celebrate the Kabaka’s birthday was cut after Uganda and Buganda’s anthem were sang.