The third edition of the Tusker Lite Rwenzori Marathon happened at the weekend in the picturesque Kasese District with thousands of runners and revellers travelling from across the globe.
Vinka served Chips na Ketchup in Kasese while local talent Heli Baibe (below) dis not disappoing. Photo/COURTSEY/Marvin Miles Mugerwa
Whereas the biggest reason for travelling to Kasese over the weekend was to be part of the Tusker Lite Mt. Rwenzori Marathon, there was a lot more to go with it.
The marathon action started early morning with the 42km long marathon that was eventually won by Abel Chelengat and Emily Chebet in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively.
In the 21km half-marathon, Abel Chebet clinched victory in the men’s category, while Rebbeca Chelangat triumphed in the women’s race, each securing a Shs7m cash prize for their outstanding performances.
From the road races, the thousands who took part in the marathon and the Kasese locals thronged Stanley Road for the Tusker Lite neon rave experience.
The party was the perfect icing on the cake for the hugely successful third edition of the marathon.
Headline performer Vinka received a heroine’s welcome, with fans cheering her on before she even performed, and she was equal to the task, delivering a thrilling performance.
She used her Chips Na Ketchup hit to alert the crowd of the kind of vibe to expect throughout the performance.
The Kasese crowd was all in and the Swangz Avenue star also performed her other top hits like All Over You, Thank God and One Touch, which left the crowd dancing and yearning for more.
And while Vinka was the the star of the night, the local community also showed love to their local artistes.
Heli Baibe and Good Hope represented the Rwenzori region on the stage, leaving the crowd in awe.
DJ Assasin and DJ Shidy kept the crowd on their feet with back-to-back bangers on the night.
Speaking about the significance of bringing the Neon Rave to Kasese, Patience Aguti, Project Manager, UBL, said it was a way of connecting with the brand’s consumers and the local community.
“The Kasese edition of the Tusker Lite Neon Rave was a platform of celebrating all the runners who tested and challenged themselves during the marathon,” Aguti said.
She added: “It was our chance to share in their excitement, and leave a lasting impact on the town that has hosted us so warmly.”
Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) spopkesperon Gessa Simplicious said product diversification. is on top of the body’s plans.
“To drive numbers both local and foreign, such activities will help retain retain visitors both within and bring out those abroad. This will help us hit two birds with one stone because you are not only allowing local circulation of money but also bringing in money. And you want to support the holistic appreciation of tourism,”the UTB spokesperson said of the marathon.
Close to 3700 runners from over 30 countries took part in the marathon, which had four different categories.
Apart from the 42km and 21km races, there was the 10km and 5km runs that mainly attracted casual runners.
