Uganda is preparing for more than just a race.
On June 20, Bushenyi District will host the inaugural Olympic Day Tooke Run, a national initiative designed to merge sport, nutrition, agriculture and community development into a single platform for transformation.
The event has been launched through a strategic partnership between the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID/BIRDC) and the Uganda Olympic Committee under the theme, “Move, Learn, Discover with Nutrition-Care.”
According to Florence Isabirye Muranga, the initiative represents a new approach where athletics and nutrition become drivers of national development.
“This is not merely a slogan. It is a call to action,” Prof. Muranga said.
“We move through sport, health and community engagement. We learn through the science of nutrition and innovation behind Tooke products. And we discover the power of Uganda’s own resources to fuel athletes, nurture children and strengthen communities.”
Organisers describe the Olympic Day Tooke Run as more than a sporting event, saying it is intended to celebrate health, innovation and national pride while addressing the challenge of malnutrition.
The initiative follows earlier milestones under the partnership, including Commonwealth Day engagements and the signing of a three-year Memorandum of Understanding between the Uganda Olympic Committee/Commonwealth Games Uganda and BIRDC on March 14, 2026.
Under the agreement, Tooke products were designated as the official nutrition partner for Ugandan athletes, while Prof. Muranga was appointed Nutrition Ambassador.
“This partnership is not symbolic — it is purposeful,” she said.
The Tooke Run has been structured around four major objectives.
The first is supporting sporting excellence, including sponsorship for Ugandan athletes preparing for the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
The second objective is raising nutritional support for vulnerable communities, particularly children in the weaning stage.
Organisers also hope to encourage healthy lifestyles through communal physical activity while promoting Tooke as a sustainable energy source for athletes.
The final goal is strengthening the East African highland green banana value chain by connecting local farmers to wider regional and international markets.
Prof. Muranga stressed that talent alone cannot sustain elite sports performance.
“To compete at the highest global levels, our athletes need more than talent and training. They require scientifically backed nutrition,” she said.
She explained that quality carbohydrates and healthy fats are essential for endurance, recovery and muscle repair, while hydration and electrolyte balance remain critical for cardiovascular performance and stamina.
“In simple terms: without proper nutrition, peak performance is not sustainable,” she added.
At the heart of the initiative is also a campaign against childhood malnutrition.
Uganda continues to face significant nutrition challenges, with about one-third of children under five reportedly affected by stunting and acute malnutrition. Anaemia also remains widespread among children and women of child-bearing age, especially in vulnerable regions such as Karamoja.
Prof. Muranga warned that poor nutrition during the weaning stage can have lifelong effects on physical and cognitive development.
“Today’s well-nourished child is tomorrow’s champion,” she said.
As Nutrition Ambassador, she pledged to promote affordable and highly nutritious foods for Ugandan children while ensuring athletes receive nutrition support aligned with international standards.
“Early childhood is a critical stage of development. The developing brain requires essential nutrients to fuel rapid cognitive growth and prevent irreversible physical and mental impairments later in life,” she noted.
Central to the campaign is Uganda’s East African highland green banana, commonly known as matooke.
Traditionally consumed as a staple food, matooke has now been transformed through research and industrial innovation into export-ready nutritional products.
PIBID/BIRDC has developed Raw Tooke Flour and Instant Tooke Flour through a facility certified by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards, ISO and the Halal Council.
According to Prof. Muranga, the products retain the banana’s natural nutrients while offering modern convenience for athletes and consumers.
She said the flours contain resistant starch and slow digestive starch, which provide sustained energy release, and are naturally gluten-free while also containing potassium and serotonin that support heart health, mood and endurance.
“This is how we bridge the value gap through science,” she said.
To fully implement the initiative, organisers are mobilising Shs4.47 billion.
Of the total budget, Shs2.5 billion is earmarked for establishing a long-term nutrition legacy programme, while Shs1.97 billion will support the Olympic Day Tooke Run itself.
Prof. Muranga described the fundraising campaign as an investment in Uganda’s future.
“Your contribution is not just funding an event,” she said.
“It is investing in a healthier nation, a stronger sports sector and a more resilient agricultural economy.”
She called on sponsors, development partners and sports stakeholders to support the initiative, saying it has the potential to empower rural banana farmers, improve sports performance and tackle child malnutrition simultaneously.
“We are not merely running a race,” Prof. Muranga said.
“We are paving a commercialization roadmap that empowers rural green banana farmers while fuelling our national champions.”
“And together, let’s take Tooke to the world.”