Tooro in partnership with telecom company MTN have unveiled the second edition of the kingdom’s Masaza football tournament that will run concurrently with bicycle racing.
The two tournaments are slated to run from May 28-August 12, the kingdom announced in an event at its Muhcwa headquarters.
The football tournament will feature the nine teams that comprise Tooro Kingdom’s nine counties while bicycle racing is open to hundreds.
Organizers say MTN has injected Shs150 million in the competition.
According to MTN’s head of sponsorship and events Paul John Okwi each team will be given at least Shs500, 000 for preparations but the football tournament champion will collect a Shs5 million prize money.
First runners up will settle for half of that while third ranked team will bag Shs1 million with the fourth county taking Shs500,000.
“For bicycle racing, the winner at county level with an ordinary bicycle will receive Shs500,000 while for those with sports bike will receive Shs 400,000,” organizers clarified.
However, the ultimate winner of the racing grand finale will receive Shs1.5 million for ordinary bicycles and Shs1 million in the event that one with a sports bike races to victory.
“Other participants will also receive cash prizes depending on their positions.”
Defending champions Kyaka County are grouped in B to play against Fort Portal and Mwenge North.
Other counties are Ntoroko, Kibale, Bunyangabu, Kitagwenda, Mwenge South and Burahya.
Tooro kingdom sports minister Michael Wadera said the teams that will qualify for semifinals which will be played between July 28-August 6 will play home and away.
Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Steven Kiyingi said that this year’s edition aims to create awareness about HIV/AIDs.
“Our youth are getting into things that destroy their lives because they are vulnerable and the king wants the youth to shun all the activities that endanger their lives. Our King is one of the UNAIDs ambassadors in the fight against HIV/AIDs he wants the youth to embrace the two sporting activities of,” he said.
According to official kingdom figures, 15 of every 100 people in Tooro have HIV/AIDS, which Kiyinji says is a great risk that should be fought.
