Cancer run 2025 exposed safety, security gaps amid growing global spotlight

Over the past decade, the Uganda Cancer Run has transformed from a local charity event into a powerful national tradition, symbolizing solidarity in the fight against cancer. It has become a moment when communities, institutions, and individuals step out not only to run but to stand against one of the world’s most silent killers. Yet, behind the noble cause lies a set of safety and organizational cracks that could erode public trust and compromise the very spirit the marathon seeks to uphold.

This year’s edition, hosted at Kololo Independence Grounds, was stamped on calendars by thousands who braved the early morning mist to participate. By 5:30 a.m., crowds had already gathered, ready to be flagged off into the city streets. The mood was electric, the purpose deeply personal. But as the runners began their strides, another narrative quietly unfolded a story of oversight, security lapses, and questions of preparedness.

In a country that has witnessed terror attacks on public gatherings, security at mass events remains a matter of life and death. Traditionally, marathons and charity runs have been cordoned off with visible layers of safety: checks at access points, clearly marked perimeters, and restricted vehicular movement.

This year, however, the cancer run presented an uncharacteristic gap. Access to the venue was unusually relaxed. Parking was allowed almost to the gates of Kololo, creating traffic bottlenecks and clusters of people precisely the kind of congestion that makes crowds vulnerable. 

Inside, runners navigated streets where boda bodas and vehicles occasionally slipped through, a double threat to both the participants’ physical safety and the symbolic sanctity of the event. An incident near the World Bank offices revealed the fragility of crowd control.

Instead of halting vehicles to prioritize runners on the 5 km track, a traffic officer was observed dispersing participants to make way for a car to pass. The scene jarred against the spirit of the marathon: a day where runners are meant to own the streets, if only for a few kilometres. The decision highlighted not just poor coordination but a worrying prioritization of convenience over the safety of thousands. If security vulnerabilities raised alarm, the water distribution strategy raised equally pressing health concerns.

In endurance events, hydration is not just a courtesy but a medical necessity. Yet along the 5 km stretch, only a single water point was available. Runners reported going long stretches without access to hydration conditions that can quickly escalate into health emergencies, particularly for older participants and children. 

The cancer run has always stood as a convergence of humanity, philanthropy, and resilience. It is one of the few annual moments where social classes dissolve, as bankers, boda boda riders, diplomats, and school children lace up for a single cause. Yet, when safety becomes negotiable, the event risks transforming from a beacon of hope into a cautionary tale.

Cancer patients, survivors, and families come to Kololo not only for the run but for reassurance that the society fighting for them is organized, deliberate, and unwavering. The cracks observed this year send the opposite message: that even noble causes can be weakened by complacency.

Charity marathons operate under a guiding principle: no life should be endangered in the pursuit of saving others. Whether in London, Tokyo, or Johannesburg, organizers have learned that public trust hinges on stringent safety, hydration, and traffic protocols. Uganda’s cancer run deserves the same vigilance. The organizers, sponsors, and city authorities must confront these lapses with transparency and reform.

A return to strict parking controls, dedicated traffic diversions, and strategically placed hydration points is not an option it is a responsibility. Without these measures, the noble fight against cancer risks being overshadowed by avoidable tragedy.

Charity runs are no longer local events; they are global stages for solidarity, health agencies and partners observe these occasions as barometers of a country’s civic responsibility. When safety falters, it affects not just the participants but the credibility of the cause itself. The cancer run is too important to be compromised; it has mobilized millions, raised significant funds, and placed Uganda on the map of community-driven health interventions. To preserve that legacy, safety must once again be treated as the cause within the cause.

The writer is a is a diplomatic scholar and human rights activist.