Uganda continues to grapple with a high maternal mortality burden, recording more than 3,000 maternal deaths annually, with severe bleeding, infections, pregnancy-related hypertension and teenage pregnancies among the leading causes, compounded by delays in accessing care and shortages of blood, essential delivery supplies and skilled health workers.
The crisis has prompted the Corporate Run to return for its fourth edition with an ambitious campaign to raise funds for 5,000 mama kits for expectant mothers across Uganda.
The charity run is scheduled for Sunday, October 11, 2026, starting at 6:00 a.m. at the NEC Grounds in Bugolobi, Kampala, under the theme “Run for Expectant Mothers.”
Held in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the initiative will support three health centres in communities where access to essential maternal health supplies remains a challenge.
At the launch held at Kati Kati Restaurant in Kampala, Ministry of Health Commissioner for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health Dr Richard Mugahi highlighted the significant gap between the number of mama kits available and the country’s annual births.
According to Mugahi, Uganda distributes close to 900,000 mama kits annually, against nearly two million births, leaving a substantial shortfall in access to basic maternal health supplies.
“Mothers are the foundation of our homes and our nation. Safeguarding mothers cannot be left to health workers alone. It is the responsibility of the whole community,” Mugahi said.
Corporate Run Chairman Ian Rumanyika said the campaign was partly inspired by a personal experience involving a colleague who left work to give birth several years ago but never returned.
“That experience stayed with me. Behind every number is a mother, a family and a life that matters,” Rumanyika said.
He added that the fourth edition represents a renewed commitment to making childbirth safer for mothers across the country.
For betPawa Uganda Director Allan Tumushabe, whose company is supporting the Corporate Run for the third consecutive edition, the initiative fits into the company’s broader model of community-level engagement.
“We introduced the Locker Room Bonuses initiative that directly reaches players through their MoMo, as seen in some of the sponsorships we did with FUBA, Futsal and FUFA.
We are now working on providing the Kawempe community with a boxing gym,” Tumushabe said.
“This kind of sponsorship resonates with the cause and demonstrates that working with communities is not foreign to us.”
Private Sector Foundation Uganda Chief Executive Officer Stephen Asiimwe described the Corporate Run as one of the most rewarding causes he has participated in, while stressing the wider social cost of preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
The launch brought together representatives from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), Human Resource Managers’ Association of Uganda (HRMAU), Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA), Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU), Capital Markets Authority (CMA), Ministry of Health, sponsors and partners, alongside business leaders, government officials, health experts and members of the public.
Registration for the Corporate Run 2026 is now open, with organisers calling on companies, institutions and individuals to participate in the charity run and contribute to the maternal health campaign.
The initiative is supported by Deposit Protection Fund of Uganda, Uganda Baati, Rwenzori, betPawa, Uganda Tourism Board, Uganda Airlines, National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board, Ruby Hospital, Uganda Athletics, Uganda Police Force, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, NBS Sport, Galaxy FM and TV, NRG 106.5FM, MovingAds, Node Group, BLACK, High5Media, Hugamara, CIPI Events, Celebrity Fitness Uganda and Jenva Ngoma Arts.
The Corporate Run is organised by Corporate Games Uganda, a sports management company that promotes workplace health and physical fitness through sporting activities, including the Corporate Games, team-building events, kids’ leagues and the annual Corporate Run.
