Busia Half Marathon for Cancer Awareness to be Held in December
By Collins Wanzallah, The Dispatch Digital
A marathon aimed at raising cancer awareness and providing support for patients is scheduled for December in Busia County. The “Busia Half Marathon,” organized by the Western Development Initiative Association (WEDIA) in conjunction with Athletics Kenya, will take place on December 15, 2024.
WEDIA Chairman Barasa, alongside Secretary General Aggrey Okunyanyi, announced that the proceeds from the race, themed ‘Run For Cancer,’ will go towards creating cancer awareness in the county and assisting financially struggling cancer patients.
In addition to the Half Marathon, which will feature international runners, the event will include a 10km race for locals and a 3km race for children under 15. This second edition of the marathon is expected to attract over 3,000 runners from across Kenya and neighboring Uganda. The race will start at Nambale town and finish at Busia Polytechnic.
“We have reached out to various corporate sponsors and hope they support this initiative to save lives and nurture young talents,” Barasa stated. WEDIA has also invited First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto to be the chief guest, given her active role in the fight against cancer in Kenya.
Participants who finish between first and tenth place will receive certificates. The winners of the Half Marathon in both men’s and women’s categories will each receive KSh 300,000. The second-place finishers will receive KSh 150,000, and third-place finishers will get KSh 100,000. In the 10km race, the top three winners will be awarded KSh 200,000, KSh 100,000, and KSh 50,000, respectively.
All participants will receive certificates bearing the logos of the organizers, Athletics Kenya, and sponsors. The first edition of the race, held in 2011, was the first ever in the Western Region, sponsored by Coca-Cola through Equator Bottlers, Kenya Commercial Bank, Tesia Supermarket, and the Youth Enterprise Development Fund.
Barasa called on local leaders to support the event preparations, emphasizing that it will put Busia County on the global map and generate revenue.=
