South Sudan gets first representative in East African tour

JUBA – Joseph Akoi Tipo, a South Sudanese cyclist, and a yoga enthusiast is flying the country’s flag high in the fourth edition of the regional Tour’D East Africa in Uganda.

Tipo is known as the founder of South Sudan Cycling and Yoga Association, two institutions that target young boys and girls and trains them on cycling and yoga activities.

Eye Radio reported yesterday (Thursday) that Tipo arrived in Uganda on Thursday to take part in the exercise after missing the first part of it that took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He will do so with the national flag and distinct attire communicating the patriotic message of a Junubia.

According to Thor Chot who is the patron of the association, lack of funding jeopardized the plan to have Tipo make an appearance for the event.

Initially, 15 people had been invited to honor the event but the group failed to attend after the pandemic struck, not to mention the financial problems.

“We should have had a representative when it started in Dar Es Salam-Tanzania but for a lack of resources, we were not able to go on time,” Chot is quoted saying by Eye Radio.

What about it?

Organized by the Great Africa Cycling Safari (GACS), the exercise entails cycling for eight hours per day and it will involve covering 6,000KM in East African countries.

It began on August 1, 2021, in Tanzania and will pass through Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi before ending in Arusha, Tanzania, in September.

While launching the event on July 7, 2021, East African Community (EAC) Secretary General Peter Mathuki lauded the GACS as he likened it to the famous Tour de France which normally runs for 10 days.

“This is the greatest cycling event in the world, the world-renowned Tour de France is a 10-day, 3,000-kilometre event. We must therefore take pride that our youth have come up with this initiative,” said the Secretary-General.

Chairman of the GACS Francis Munywoki told the media during the same event that the initiative is to foster integration in the EAC.

“We are embarking on a journey to not only create awareness on the EAC integration agenda and the climate change challenges on the region but to also do something to fix these challenges,” said Munywoki.

The GACS was founded in 2016.

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