I was back in Laikipia for the weekend, just in time to witness my neighbours pray and supplicate by the Mutara River, now dried up for months. The propitious land has been burnt into a brown shell, and there is fear that the herds will follow suit.
The praying lot hadn’t quite completed the ritual, which included pouring milk into the dry river bed, when a gale lifted and swept by, rousing dust and bending trees. It appeared like the rains were on the horizon, provoking an outpouring of unalloyed joy.
We left in a huff, joyful at the prospects of the rains, but apprehensive about the journey ahead, which includes a 20km track of bare earth that the Kenya National Highways Authority are reportedly paving as part of the Nanyuki-Rumuruti route.
There was no need to worry, I realised quite soon. The threat of rain hadn’t quite materialised and all the land had soaked were droplets that resembled spittle. So, on we went, twisting this way and that, as the vehicle danced on the wet surface. Finally, we were out of harm’s way.
Well, not quite. One of the wheels chalked up layers of black cotton soil that clung to the outer rim like a leech. A friend who had suffered a similar fate but paid no heed to the wheels ended up with two tyre bursts.
So I diligently parked and tried to chisel away the clods of soil. Even with the support of the three passengers on board, who went into the bush looking for sticks to scrape off the mud, it took us 1.5 hours to extricate ourselves out of the mess.
I have no doubt that those shouting from the sunroof of their SUVs are speaking the truth when they enumerate the numbers of kilometres that have been paved in recent years. Even the Nanyuki-Rumuruti road is paved with cotton soil, which works well until it rains.
I believe they would have a different verdict if they ventured there while it rains. And now that the El-Nino rains are at hand, there couldn’t be more perfect timing. They will chopper in and take pictures from above.
