The Minister of State in charge of East African Community Affairs, Prof. Manasseh Nshuti, on Wednesday, September 7, flagged off a group of cyclists that departed to Uganda as part of an ongoing bicycle tour in the East African Community. Dubbed the Great Africa Cycling Safari, the tour brings together cyclists from partner states who ride through the EAC as a team to promote regional integration. The cycling tour, which is in its fifth edition, comprises 35 cyclists representing their respective. They commenced the tour on August 1, in Mombasa, Kenya and have so far passed through Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma in Tanzania before taking to Bujumbura, in Burundi. They arrived in Rwanda on Monday, September 5, where, among other activities, they participated in environment conservation activities in Gashora Sector before proceeding to Kigali to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The cyclists met Nshuti before proceeding to Uganda. Nshuti hailed the cyclist’s role in educating the people they meet about regional integration. “Like their motto states ‘One People One Destiny’, we have so many things in common and joining hands as a unit makes us stronger. These cyclists do the tour not just ride a bike but to also help us raise awareness about the role of East African Community and the coming together of the people of the region,” Nshuti said. According to John Balongo, the Founder and Director of Great Africa Cycling Safari, the tour experience has this time round been both good and bad. “It was good, on one hand, because security of the cyclists is being taken care of at all costs in every country they pass and we are glad that the tour is at least half-sponsored with the support by private sector,” Balonga said. “But we have had a challenge of climate change at some pots where some places are very hot and some places are extremely cold. Also, in a group of cyclists from countries that speak different languages, you find it hard to make clear communication. But we managed because most of them use either Kiswahili or English.” The cyclists will conclude their tour in Kenya. In the end, they will have cycled around the region for 55 days and covered a distance of more than 6,000 kilometers. At the end of the tour, every participating cyclist will be recognized with an award.
