#RhinoCharge2024 – Scrutineering completed

(Posted 31st May 2024)

The last lap in the preparation for this year’s Rhino Charge is underway as inspection of competing cars is done in the scenic landscape of Torosei in Kajiado West.

The competitor cars’ official inspection process known as ‘scrutineering’ started this morning from 8:30am and was scheduled to end at 5:00pm ahead of the actual race tomorrow morning, 01st of June.

Three all-girls’ teams in unmodified competitor cars – Car 47 Girls in Pearls, Car 19 Bush Babes and Car 50 Zambarau – are all expected to be cleared in the scrutineering process. Other notables to watch as they rumble in the jungle are Car 5 and 6 being the longest in the race.

It runs in the blood of three-in-one crew of Car 6 Team Ole Choda’s comprising three generations in a family – grandfather, son and grandson all on one team – assured succession planning.

Team 63 Aussie Rules, all-international team, are celebrating 10 years of ‘Charging’ and are doing pretty well with fundraising, the core purpose behind the competition.

After the scrutineering, Don White, the Chairman of the Rhino Charge Committee and Clerk of the Course, will preside over the drivers’ briefing at dusk where he is expected to provide important information on safety to competitors, including the all-important route maps.

At the crack of dawn tomorrow, a total of 54 cars out of a potential maximum of 65 potential Charge cars will be racing across the rugged terrain of Torosei in the undulating hills of lakes Magadi-Natron landscape. Each competing car is allowed a maximum of six people.

Kajiado County, the hosts of this year’s Charge, is famous for hosting the world’s most studied elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem.

The Rhino Charge annually raises funds for the conservation activities implemented by Rhino Ark. As a conservation organisation, Rhino Ark is deeply sensitive to minimising any adverse environmental impact that could derive from its operations. This extends to the unique Rhino Charge 4×4 event.

To prevent any significant damage to the venue environment, the duration of the competition is limited to 10 hours and only 65 competition cars may participate in the event. The Rhino Charge is also organised each year in a different location to avoid cumulative impact from consecutive events and to spread the benefits to host communities.

In the 35-year history of the event, Kajiado has hosted seven editions of the competition, including Suswa (1989), Magadi (1990), L’rogoswa (2004), Londuroj (2010), Nyokie (2013), Mosiro (2022) and this years in Torosei.

Other counties that have hosted the event include Samburu, Narok, Baringo, Isiolo, Marsabit and Laikipia.

One of the main environmental challenges of organising an event with between 3,500 and 4,500 officials, participants and spectators in the most remote wilderness areas of Kenya is the management of waste. In keeping with Rhino Ark’s conservation mission, the Rhino Charge Committee is dedicated to leaving each venue as they found it. To this end, stringent rules have been set by the Committee to ensure that no refuse is left anywhere in the entire Rhino Charge venue. This includes a system of fines that is strictly implemented to address refuse generated by competitors and spectators. In addition, a team of waste collectors equipped with two pick-up vehicles inspect all the camps daily and collect all the refuse generated. To promote refuse recycling, a Waste Sorting Station is set up at the venue. Glass, cans, tins, and plastic bottles, among others, are separated and brought back to Nairobi for recycling.

Furthermore, Rhino Ark has committed to make the Rhino Charge climate neutral since 2017, namely to offset the CO2 emissions related to the event by purchasing corresponding amounts of carbon credits on the market.  These cover the emissions from all the vehicles, including spectators, to come the event and during the event; competition cars; generators; open camping fires; and the burning of biodegradable wastes. The offsets come from a project implemented in the Chyullu Hills aiming at reducing deforestation and land degradation.

This year’s Rhino Charge main events are as follows:
•   Today, Friday, 31st May – Scrutineering (inspection of the Competing Cars)
•   Tomorrow Saturday, 1st June – Rhino Charge
•   Sunday, 2nd June – Prize-giving

Kindly note that general information about the Rhino Charge is available online on the Rhino Charge website www.rhinocharge.co.ke. Digital contents about the Charge and Rhino Ark can be accessed at: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/17zpkaom5x6WlMP7nDbIN2a86u3Sub1_l

The digital channels of the Rhino Charge and Rhino Ark are: