| Nkoteyia Community Conservancy in the Ewaso Nyiro landscape in Samburu County is the venue of the 34th edition of the Rhino Charge’s, Kenya’s unique off-road competition that raises funds for environmental conservation work.
Until the highly anticipated announcement last evening in the form of route notes released to competing cars, sponsors and spectators, the venue that lies about 50km from Maralal Town on the Kirisia-Laikipia wildlife migratory corridor remained of the kept secrets within the ‘Charge’ organizing community. Incidentally, the conservancy is a breeding site for wild dogs.
Final touches are being made today to the event to be held this weekend, as camp operators, competing vehicles, spectators and event sponsors continue to arrive at the venue in the vast and picturesque Samburu County, ‘the gateway to the Magical North’.
It is expected that from today to tomorrow night (Thursday, June 1, 2023), all the competing cars will have arrived at the venue ahead of scrutineering (vehicle inspection) that will take place the day after (Friday June 2, 2023).
The Rhino Charge is not only a world renowned 4×4 off-road competition, but also, one of the few sport events run with a national environmental conservation purpose. It is conducted to support the safeguarding of the integrity and ecological functions of Kenya’s mountain forests, also known as water towers, as they are the source of all main rivers in the country.
Indeed, since its conception in 1989, the Rhino Charge has raised a staggering amount of nearly KES 2 billion towards the conservation of Mount Kenya, the Aberdares, South Western Mau and Mount Eburu in the Mau Forests Complex, as well as Kakamega Forest. Whilst the first Rhino Charge raised only KES 250,000, this amount has increased tremendously over the years to cross the KES 180 million mark in 2018, thanks to supporters locally and internationally.
The event has re-bounded with remarkable vigour in the last two years after the first ever-cancelation in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Last year’s event in Mosiro, Kajiado raised KES 156 million that has been instrumental in maintaining the 710 kilometres of conservation fences built to date, as well as in constructing an additional 30 kilometres of the Mt. Kenya Electric Fence and starting a key new fencing and conservation project in Kakamega Forest.
Amounts raised by the Rhino Charge in 2019 and 2021 were KES 141 and KES 156 million, respectively.
Projects funded thanks to the Rhino Charge funds include the construction of the world longest game-proof fences, such as the 450 km Mount Kenya Electric Fence of which 280 km have been built to date. The funds have also been used in the maintenance of the completed 400 km Aberdare Electric Fence and 43.3 km perimeter electric fence around Mount Eburu, as well as for the ongoing construction for the fencing of Kakamega Forest in Western Kenya.
In addition to the funds raised by the competitors, the proceeds from the vehicle entry fee (also known as Landowners Access Fee) paid by all vehicles entering the venue will go towards supporting host community projects. Usually, such projects have included the building of schools or dispensary infrastructure, water tanks, and strengthening security. In the recent past, KES 5.0 million and KES 5.2 million were given to the host communities in Sabor and Bekibon (Baringo County) and Mosiro (Kajiado County), respectively.
Besides the direct cash contribution derived from the Landowners Access Fee, the Rhino Charge provides short-term employment opportunities to the local communities who get engaged in the preparation of the venue, as well as in supporting the running of the event. The Charge also helps to profile the tourism and conservation potentials of the host area. This year’s host, the 21,000-kilometre-square Samburu County, is Kenya’s northerly gem globally reputed and associated with the Born Free film, camel racing, breath-taking tourism sites, colourful cultures, among other attractions.
This year’s Rhino Charge main events are as follows:
• Friday, 2nd June – Scrutineering (inspection of the Competing Cars)
• Saturday, 3rd June – Rhino Charge
• Sunday, 4th June – Prize-giving
The organisation of the Rhino Charge is supported through in-kind contribution from the private sector, including some of Kenya’s largest corporations, such as, Total Energies, Safaricom, AutoXpress, Tarpo, White Cap, Castor Vali, Kidl Helicopters, and Z Boskovic Air Charters, to name a few. Their contribution has enabled the reduction of the cost of the event to less than 15% of the total funds raised.
Kindly note that general information about the Rhino Charge is available online on the Rhino Charge website www.rhinocharge.co.ke
The digital channels of the Rhino Charge and Rhino Ark are:
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