Olympian Charles Kagimu leads 800km ride for refugee education

The inaugural Cycle for Hope charity race has officially set off from Makindye Forest Park, with Olympian cyclist Charles Kagimu leading a team of 12 elite riders on a five-day, 800km journey to support refugee children in northern Uganda.

Kagimu, the 2024 continental time trial champion, joins forces with Jordan Sekanwagi, winner of the 2025 Grand Nairobi Bike Race in Kenya, as the headline figures of the event. The race will conclude at Rhino Refugee Camp in Arua District on December 14.

The initiative is organised by the Rotary Club of Konge-Lukuli (District 9214) in partnership with Hope Field Children and Women Ministry at the Rhino Refugee Settlement.

According to Rotary president Alex Agaba, the project aims to raise funds for 60 Buffalo bicycles to help secondary school learners commute to school.

Cyclists set off for the 800km Cycle for Hope Race. Photo: Silvano Kibuuka

“As Rotarians, we restore hope to vulnerable people through education, health, sanitation, and community empowerment. You can never know who these young people will become in the future,” Agaba said, urging the public to contribute along the race route.

Project coordinator Mathias Lukwago revealed that 53 bicycles have already been secured from sponsors. He emphasized that Cycle for Hope offers a practical, low-cost intervention with both immediate and long-term benefits.

“By supporting this project, you will help 60 young people access education, improve their mental and physical wellbeing, and gain cycling skills and hope for a brighter future. We also expect to identify talent from among them,” Lukwago noted.

At the flag-off, Kagimu, who rides for Amani Cycling Club in Kenya described the challenge as a meaningful way of giving back to the community.

“We challenge ourselves, and it is worth it if we can help the Rhino Refugee Camp. The bicycles donated will help many students who drop out because of the long distances. The race will also promote cycling across the country,” he said.

Sekanwagi echoed the sentiment, expressing optimism that the race could inspire riders from northern Uganda.

“Kagimu and I have long wanted to give back to the community, so we welcomed the idea. This race will help grow a cycling culture in the country,” he remarked.

The elite team also features Brenda Sikoya, Mary Aleper, Lawrence Lorot, Joshua Nsubuga, Lukuman Magoba, Musilimu Kiwanuka, Abdu Lubega, and Willy Kato.

The race will unfold in seven stages: beginning with the Nile stretch from Kampala to Jinja, followed by the Elgon stage from Jinja to Mbale. Riders will then tackle the Awoja leg from Mbale to Soroti, continue through the Ngetta stage from Soroti to Lira, and push on to the Murchison stretch from Lira to Pakwach. From there, they will ride the Albert Nile stage from Pakwach to Arua before concluding with the Rhino stage from Arua to Rhino Camp. Along the way, resident Rotary clubs will host the riders at each stage.

The five-day event is supported by Crisis Response Network, Minet, Africa Global Logistics, Buffalo Bikes, World Bicycle Relief, Konge-Lukuli Rotary Club, Rotary Uganda, and Uganda Police Club.