WNETF 2025 Arua Marathon launched, targets Shs50m to sponsor needy students
Matua (R) stresses a point during the WNETF marathon launch press briefing on Wednesday. Photo Credit, Andrew Cohen Amvesi
ARUA: The West Nile Education Trust Fund (WNETF) has launched the 2025 Arua Marathon, targeting to raise at least Shs50 million to support bright but needy students from the region to access university education.
The second edition of the annual event is scheduled for Saturday, December 27, 2025, and is expected to attract over 1,500 participants from across West Nile.
Speaking during the launch at West Nile Golf Club in Arua City on Wednesday, Caroline Badaru, a member of the WNETF Board of Trustees, said the marathon will start and end at the open ground opposite Total Arua Hill, next to the Uganda Red Cross Society office.
“This year’s marathon will be held on Saturday, December 27, 2025, starting at 6:00am. We have different race categories; 2km, 5km, 10km, and the half marathon of 21km. So, even children can participate in the shorter distances,” Badaru said.
She emphasized that all proceeds will go toward sponsoring needy but brilliant students pursuing professional courses such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Engineering and Law.
“So far, 28 students from West Nile have benefited from WNETF scholarships in these programmes. With Shs50 million, we can fully sponsor at least one or two more students, considering the average cost of one scholarship is around Shs40 million,” she explained.
Badaru clarified that the event is open to participants from all districts and municipalities in the West Nile region, not just Arua City.
Robert Ejiku, the Vice President of the West Nile Foundation — the parent body behind WNETF, said the initiative was born out of concern over the region’s declining education standards.
“For a long time, West Nile has lagged behind the rest of Uganda in education performance. While other regions like Bushenyi, Kabale, and Jinja are producing more students joining public universities, our numbers remain low. We decided to tackle this challenge across the entire education value chain from pre-primary to university,” Ejiku said.
The former Ayivu East MP Bernard Atiku described the marathon as a noble cause and expressed optimism that this year’s event will surpass last year’s collections.
“I urge all people of West Nile to turn up in large numbers, buy the running kits, and participate on the day. As you return home for the festive season, please mark December 27 on your calendar and come with at least Shs100,000 to support the cause,” Atiku appealed.
He also called on corporate giants MTN Uganda and Airtel to support the initiative.
“We support these companies every day. It’s only fair that they support education in West Nile the same way they do in other regions,” he said.
Arua District Chairperson Alfred Okuonzi hailed the initiative, saying the future of West Nile depends on producing quality human resources through education.
“This is a noble cause that requires collective effort. No sector, whether engineering, health, or agriculture can develop without education. Let us all come out in large numbers for the second WNETF marathon,” Okuonzi urged.
Jackson Matua, a representative of the Uganda Athletics Federation, advised intending participants to undergo medical check-ups and train regularly ahead of the event. He assured participants that the official route map will be released soon.
Assoc. Prof. Simon Katrini Anguma, the Vice Chancellor of Muni University, acknowledged that West Nile has historically lagged in academic performance and other development indicators.
“Education is the only sustainable solution to the challenges facing our region, including poverty and disease. WNETF is a timely initiative, and as Muni University, we warmly welcome it because these sponsored students become our students,” Prof. Anguma said.
The first WNETF Arua Marathon was successfully held on December 28, 2024.
Registration for the 2025 edition is ongoing, with running kits already on sale each at Shs35,000.
The official kit selling points are Total Energies Arua Hill, Capital One Lounge, WENRECo offices, NWSC office, Oak Diagnostic Centre, Muni University, Centenary Bank, Orasea Supermarket, Maradadi Stores in Ewuata and West Nile Golf Club in Arua City.