Philanthropist Pemba boosts Kabaka Run
The Kabaka birthday run organising officials receive a dummy Cheque of shs3m from Uganda Sickle Cell Foundation Member Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige (R). Photo by Eddie Chicco
KAMPALA.
Two days to the much-anticipated Kabaka’s Birthday Run, renowned sports philanthropist Jack Pemba has joined the noble cause to fight sickle cell anaemia with a Shs3m cash boost to the event build-up.
Pemba, the director of Pemba Sports Africa, a sports promotion company, made this contribution as a member of the Sickle Cell Association of Uganda.
He also sits on the board of directors Uganda Sickle Cell Foundation. This brings the members’ contribution to a total of Shs15m—including: BMK Group of Companies (Shs5m); Roofings Uganda (Shs5m) and AGT Laboratories (Shs2m).
Uganda Sickle Cell Foundation Member Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige (R) hands over a dummy Cheque of Shs3m to the Kabaka birthday run organising officials. Photo by Eddie Chicco
“It’s a huge boost towards the Kabaka’s Run and particularly towards the fight against the silent killer that’s sickle cell anaemia,” said BMK managing director Haruna Kalule Kibirige, as he handed the cash on behalf of Pemba to the organisers at BMK House, Hotel Africana yesterday.
He added “The public response is very positive, so far, and I appeal to all those who haven’t bought their tickets to hurry before the D-day for this is a cause worth all our support.”
Proceeds from the fourth edition of the annual event—to mark Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi’s 62nd birthday—will be channelled to the fight against the escalation of sickle cell anaemia in Uganda. According to the 2015 World Health Organisation report, the sickle cell disease in some parts of Uganda is as high as 45 percent, while another study by Makerere University found out that the disease accounts for approximately 16.2 percent of all paediatric deaths in Uganda.
