Author: MBONILE BURTON
AfricaPress-Tanzania: ORGANISERS of the country’s longest cycling race ‘Twende Butiama’ are now planning to upgrade the race to the international status in near future.
One of the race organisers from Tanzania Endurance Cyclists (teC) club, Gabriel Landa, told the ‘Sunday News’ in Dar es Salaam yesterday that plan is underway for the race to be upgraded and cover other African countries.
“After being in the podium since 2014, we are now planning to improve the grand race to suit an international status by bringing together top cyclists from all over the continent and to achieve that we will involve diplomats,” he said.
Landa noted that the cycling race which is staged annually in October, also honours the former President Mwalimu Nyerere who died on October 14, 1999.
“The race has all it takes to be into African status as Nyerere was among the African heroes. “We would like to see many Tanzanian cyclists taking part in the event to honour the founding Father of the Nation,” he added.
Landa named countries they target to bring to Tanzania as Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe as well members of the East African Community Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.
To ensure that they reach their goal, Landa said they have planned to work closely with government especially departments responsible with infrastructure, security, tourism and health for the safety of riders and organisers.
“We find it was a good idea to use the long cycling race as an event to commemorate Nyerere Day because it was the most available means of transports during his tenure,” he added.
“Nyerere has left a wonderful legacy to the Tanzanians and Africa at large, we gear up to maintain peace, love, solidarity and patriotism founded by him.The race also aims to boost domestic tourism.”
According to organisers ‘Twende Butiama’ 2020 cycling race will take centre stage from October 6th to 14th starting from Dar es Salaam all the way to Mara.
Over 150 riders are expected to take part at the annual race that this time around will cover about 1400 km distance from Msasani in Dar es Salaam and will climax at Nyerere’s birth village of Mwitongo in Butiama, Mara region.
The club also is promoting tree planting campaign labelled ‘Miti kwa Umri’ a campaign that wants every Tanzanian to plant a tree annually.
