Run 4 Seniors Preparations Gather Pace After Successful Mock Run at Karura

Preparations for the second edition of the Run 4 Seniors charity event are now in full swing after Mama Ibado Charity held a successful mock run at Karura Forest in Nairobi ahead of the main event set for July 18.

The mock run brought together sponsors, partners, volunteers and fitness enthusiasts, giving organisers a chance to test the race route, logistics, participant experience and safety arrangements as the countdown to the big day gathers momentum.

Run 4 Seniors is a charity initiative aimed at raising awareness and mobilising support for vulnerable senior citizens in Kenya, with a focus on improving their welfare, healthcare and dignity. Organisers say this year’s event is expected to attract even more participants as more people and organisations rally behind the cause.

Speaking after the mock run, Run 4 Seniors Chairman Moses Mwangi said the exercise had given the team confidence that they are ready to host a safe and impactful event. He thanked sponsors and partners for their continued support and called on more Kenyans, companies and institutions to register and take part in the run.

Mwangi said the event is not just about running, but about standing with elderly people who continue to face serious challenges such as poor access to healthcare, financial hardship and limited social support. He added that organisers are still mobilising support from the private sector, development partners and the public to strengthen programmes targeting vulnerable senior citizens.

The initiative comes at a time when conversations around the welfare of older persons are becoming more urgent. Across the country, many senior citizens are battling loneliness, poverty, health complications and neglect, even after spending decades helping build families, communities and the nation.

KCB Foundation Director Mendi Njonjo, who also backed the initiative, said senior citizens deserve to live with dignity, care and respect. She noted that older people have contributed immensely to society and should not be forgotten.

Njonjo said Run 4 Seniors offers a powerful platform for bringing together individuals, corporates and institutions to support a worthy cause. She encouraged more Kenyans to join the movement and help create a society where no elderly person is left behind.

This year’s event will feature 5km, 10km and 15km race categories, as well as wellness and awareness activities designed to promote healthy ageing and social inclusion for senior citizens.

Organisers are hoping to build on the success of the inaugural edition, which attracted strong public support and participation. With the mock run now complete, all eyes are on the main event in July, which is expected to bring together hundreds of participants in support of Kenya’s elderly population.

For Mama Ibado Charity, the message is simple: senior citizens matter, and they deserve support, dignity and a better quality of life.