Makueni County, jointly with Ndukuma Conservancy Community Based Organisation (CBO), will host Ndukuma Run with the aim of nurturing talent and conserving the environment, a Senior Sports Officer (SSO) in the Department of Gender, Youth Sports, and Social Services, Mr. Charles Muthoka, has said.
Muthoka disclosed that the Run will be conducted at the Ndukuma Dam on November 10, 2024 in different categorise namely Elite Run 15, Community run 10, Corporate run 5, Fun run 3 and Wheel Chair race 2 Kilometers respectively.
He said each participant will register in every category as follows: Elite Sh 1,000, Community Sh 500, Corporate Sh 50,000 and Fun race Sh 500 and Wheel chair race will be free of charge during the event scheduled for next week on Sunday.
“Ndukuma Dam Run is more than a race; it is a chance for our community to show talent and help conserve the environment,” said Muthoka while speaking to Kenya News Agency in his office in Wote town on Wednesday.
Muthoka revealed that those who will run the 15-kilometre race will be rewarded with Sh 120,000 and 100,000 for positions 1 and 2, saying those from numbers three to 10 will each get Sh 10,000.
In the community race (10 KM), positions 1 and 2 will receive Sh 80,000 and Sh 60,000, whereas numbers 3–15 will be rewarded between Sh 50,000 and Sh 5,000.
The fun race, which is solely for schoolchildren, will be rewarded with bags and stationery.
The SSO said that the event is one way of raising awareness about the environment with a view to conserving and addressing climate change in an effort to inspire the residents to take action in sustainable practices.
“Through the run, the community will know the significance of protecting the environment and adopting measures that will help in mitigating climate change in the county and preserving natural resources,” said Muthoka.
Muthoka said that the county government intends to create a Sports Academy to develop young talents, while adding that they want the Run to be an Annual Event in the county.
By Zipporah Mutheu