Kasese was, in many ways, never the obvious choice.
Despite its jaw-dropping location — nestled between two national parks and straddling the Equator — it had long been overlooked. Known more for bad headlines than breathtaking views, it was a town full of potential but short on opportunity.
Until the runners came.
In 2022, the Tusker Lite Rwenzori Marathon was born — not just as a race, but as a bold idea: could a single sporting event spark a region’s transformation?
We started small, with just over 800 runners. But even in that first year, something shifted. By 2023, the number had doubled. And by 2025, more than 5,000 runners from 36 countries came to Kasese to run under the glaciers, through the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains, and along the border of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The marathon (42.2. km) runners crossed the Equator — the only internationally certified marathon in the world where that’s possible.
But the real story isn’t just in the runners. It’s in the ripple effects.
In just four years, Kasese has changed — visibly, tangibly, and irreversibly. The number of hotel rooms has grown from 500 to over 2,000. Roads have been rebuilt. Local businesses have flourished. Entire neighborhoods are under construction. What was once a quiet, underinvested town has become one of Uganda’s most exciting destinations.
Even more exciting? Ugandans are discovering Kasese too — many for the first time. They come to race, then stay to explore. Queen Elizabeth. The Rwenzoris. Lakes, wildlife, and winding mountain trails. They return with family and friends. Domestic tourism is booming — and with it, local pride.
In 2024, the marathon earned international certification from World Athletics, becoming the first in Uganda to do so. That means runners can use it to qualify for global events like Comrades, Two Oceans, and the World Marathon Majors. For our homegrown athletes, this has been a breakthrough — giving them a world-class platform to compete, qualify, and be seen.
In 2026, we leveled up. The Tusker Lite Rwenzori Marathon is officially a World Athletics Label Road Race, becoming the first marathon in Uganda to receive the prestigious international designation — and only the third in East Africa.
Out of more than 200 World Athletics Label Road Races worldwide, only a limited number are on the African continent. East Africa — the undisputed ruler of distance running globally — now hosts its third Label Marathon.
The Tusker Lite Rwenzori Marathon was created as a social enterprise, built to promote healthy living, support Ugandan talent, boost tourism, and raise climate awareness — especially as the glaciers of the Rwenzori Mountains melt and Kasese becomes one of the regions most at risk from climate change.
Our marathon was always designed to be a movement. And that's what it has become. One that’s changing the image — and the future — of an entire region.
This is what happens when a town no one expected becomes a place no one wants to miss.
And we’re only getting started.
(Who are we? Get to know the core team here.)
The Tusker Lite Rwenzori Marathon is a social enterprise with a mission to uplift individuals and communities through sport, health, and environmental awareness.
The Tusker Lite Mt Rwenzori Marathon is a World Athletics Label Road Race.
Our office address: Block 243 Plot 1001, Biina Road, Mutungo Hill, Kampala.
