More than 2,000 runners took part in the 4th edition of the Run for the Nile Marathon in Jinja City, bringing together environmental advocates, community members, and partners in a collective effort to protect River Nile and Lake Victoria.
Organised by the Rotary Club of Jinja with the support of Nile Breweries Limited (NBL), the marathon featured 21km, 10km, and 5km race categories.
This year’s run was focused on raising funds to support the replanting of approximately 247 acres (approximately 100 hectares) of the degraded Mayuge forest and expanding the installation of plastic trap gates across key drainage channels in Kampala and Jinja that feed into Lake Victoria and the River Nile.
These interventions, according to the organisers, are designed to address growing environmental threats, including plastic pollution, siltation, and ecosystem degradation, which continue to impact water quality, biodiversity, and livelihoods.
Environmental experts warn that rapid urbanisation, industrial expansion, and unsustainable land use continue to threaten the health of these critical water bodies.
Speaking at the event, Emmanuel Njuki, Legal and Corporate Affairs Lead, NBL, emphasized the company’s long-term commitment to water sustainability.
“Water is the number one ingredient in our beers and a shared resource for the communities we serve. Supporting the Run for the Nile is a natural extension of our commitment to being responsible stewards of the environment,” said Njuki,
“From improving water efficiency within our breweries to supporting nature-based solutions like these forest restorations, we believe that collective action is the only way to secure these water sources for future generations.” He added.
According to Njuki, this engagement is part of NBL’s ‘Cheers to Nature’ campaign, a global initiative that highlights the company’s commitment to protecting natural resources, particularly water, which is essential to both the brewery’s operations and the communities it serves.
“We have made significant progress in water stewardship. In 2025, 100% of our communities in high-stress areas in the country achieved measurably improved water availability and quality,” noted Njuki.
“We have also improved our water use efficiency per hectolitre of production by over 20% since 2017.
The 2025 edition of the marathon raised approximately UGX 100 million, with funds supporting the planned installation of plastic trap gates in Ggaba and the establishment of a tree nursery at Lubiri Nabagereka Primary School.
“The plastic trap gates installed in Jinja are already making a measurable impact by reducing the flow of waste into major water channels,” said Mark Mpadua, Environmental Scientist, Jinja City.
“Before their installation, these channels carried significant amounts of plastic waste, silt, and debris directly into Lake Victoria. During the first clean-up, we collected approximately 600 kilograms of waste, and our estimates show that between 1.5 to 1.8 tonnes of waste is now intercepted every three months, particularly after the rainy season.”
“This intervention is helping to protect our water bodies and gives them much-needed breathing space.” He added.
The marathon’s participation has grown significantly, with this year’s turnout doubling from 1,000 runners in 2025 to over 2,000 in 2026.