Call to end teenage pregnancy dominates Acholi Heritage Bicycle race in Gulu

Gulu, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | The MTN Uganda- sponsored Acholi Heritage Bicycle race has continued to gain momentum with cyclists turning up to represent their districts.

On January 21, the Gulu District bicycle race started at 10 am with Ceaser Accelam winning the men’s category ahead of Andrew Okello who came second. Sara Lakot won the females category followed up by Eveline Akello.

All the top performers walked away with cash prizes in a race that had 30 registered participants with only 17 turning up.

The top two participants for both male and female races will now represent Gulu District in the Acholi Heritage Bicycle race competition grand finale which will also involve participants from seven other districts that include Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Lamwo, Nwoya, Pader and Omoro, in Gulu City on 12th March 2023. Winners will be gifted with cash prizes and other assorted items courtesy of MT Uganda.

Paul Owidi, the chief guest and the prime minister for the Paibona Clan, said it is time for the residents in the Acholi chiefdom to join hands in the fight against teenage pregnancies among girls. He urged residents to ensure that their children are educated.

“Let us ensure that teenage pregnancies are eliminated from our sub-region and our young girls are educated,” he said.

“Girls who are educated are less likely to marry young and more likely to lead healthy, productive lives. They earn higher incomes, participate in decisions that most affect them, and build better futures for themselves and their families and so is the community in which they live.”

MTN Uganda Northern Region Business Manager, Phillip Odoi said the telecom company is proud to associate with the Ker Kwaro Acholi to improve the lives of the residents.

“We as MTN Uganda believe in transforming people’s lives in all the places we have operations and Ker Kwaro Acholi is not exempted,” he said. “We are therefore grateful for working with the chiefdom to achieve this goal.”

MTN Uganda’s partnership with the Ker Kwaro Acholi in the bicycle race competition is hinged on an ongoing partnership signed in 2019 but delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.

The agreement entails MTN Uganda working together with the Ker Kwaro leadership to support the chiefdom’s efforts to uplift the socio-cultural welfare of the people in the Acholi sub-region through jointly undertaking health, education and sports initiatives.

MTN Uganda has in the past year undertaken initiatives in health and education in the Acholi region such as the refurbishment and kitting of the Cwero Health Center III Maternity ward in 2019 as well as constructing a classroom block Kuc Ki Gen PEAS high school in Lamwo District.

MTN Uganda is also sponsoring a football tournament in the Ker Kwaro Acholi dubbed MTN Odilo Ker Football Tournament that kicked off on 15 January 2023, with all the teams from the eight districts playing in their first round.