A health and maternal oriented marathon is being organized in the Arumeru District of Arusha.
To race at the foot of Mount Meru, the Marathon is being held for the sole purpose of raising health funds to cater for prematurely born babies in Arumeru, Arusha Urban and Rural Districts.
The inaugural Meru Pazuri Afya Marathon, featuring three racing categories of 21 kilometers, 10 kilometers and 5 kilometers, is expected to race for the first time this year, from the Usa-River Township on the 21st day of September 2025.
The health-oriented athletics and cultural events are coordinated by the Arumeru District’s development stakeholders.
The chairperson of Meru Pazuri Afya Marathon and festival organizing committee, Goodluck Abraham Sommy, said the target is to buy incubators and other facilities needed to cater for prematurely born babies in hospitals.
“We will work with the District Medical Officer to see what type of equipment, facilities and other needs required for the premature babies as well as their mothers and midwives who attend to them at maternity wards,” stated Sommy.
The event will also include side-events in form of entertaining festivals, to be staged at the Kilimani Primary School grounds at the Leganga Ward of Arumeru District Council, runs under the theme of ‘Okoa Maisha ya Watoto Njiti kwa kuchangia vifaa na Mahitaji yao!’
The theme of the health Marathon theme loosely translates into ‘Save the lives of prematurely born babies through contributions towards their health facilities and needs.’
More than 500 athletes are expected to participate in the maiden Meru Pazuri Afya Marathon.
One of the organizing committee members Amos Daniel, said the race will start at Kilimani Primary at Leganga in Usa-River, with athletes racing towards the Arusha-bypass junction into the East Africa Road, while the mini 5 kilometers run will head to Nshupu Ward.
On the other hand, over 2000 people from the district, Arusha and neighboring regions have been confirmed to take part in the entertainment side events that may include meat barbecue (Nyama Choma Festival), dances and music performances.