Man and beast in camel derby

If you are an adventurist keen for out of town safaris with stunning experience to boot, perhaps you ought to mark your diary for the next edition of camel derby, writes Peter Muiruri.

“What do you mean? Since when did camels race?” Nairobians can be ignorant like this friend of mine who was fascinated by the possibility of leaving the comforts of the city home to go watch a camel race 348 kilometres away in the dustbowls of Maralal.

But first things first. Camels can run and easily maintain speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour and if need be, reach up to 65 kilometres per hour. Put simply, they can outrun a man! As a matter of fact, camel races have been held in Kenya for the last 22 years drawing enthusiasts from around the world. This year was no different.

Over the years, Maralal, a town on the edge of the expansive Laikipia plateau has had the privilege of hosting the event sponsored by Magical Kenya.

 The derby serves a noble course. It is held in an area that is the melting pot of Samburu, Turkana and Pokot culture. These communities have in the past engaged in bloody wars in the name of cattle raids.

The Maralal International Camel Derby was set up to try and bring these groups together, a fact underscored by the cosy relationship these colourful people exhibited during the event.

That is the sweeter part of the derby. Getting to Maralal is by no means easy. Local travel websites will loudly claim that Maralal is ‘only six hours from the city through the Nyahururu — Rumuruti route.

Alternative  route

Having been to the two locations, I was breathing easy as our travelling team — including a battery of journalists and Kenya Tourist Board officials, some who have never been to northern Kenya, eagerly anticipated the journey. I have been to the remote north a number of times and ‘eager anticipation’ are the last words I would use to describe a trip to this bastion.

A few in the group were so deep in conversation that they failed to notice that our hired driver had taken Thika Superhighway instead of Waiyaki Way! We later learnt that our shuttle would not have made it to Maralal through Nyahururu owing to the ‘bad’ road condition. Truth be told, insecurity along that route was an issue though no one dared say it loud.

We got to Isiolo at about 5pm. For some, this was the farthest they had gone north of the equator. Tucked off the highway is Isiolo Transit Hotel where the entire team spent the night. The bed and breakfast outfit is a plus in the harsh environment. “This is one of the best and safest establishments here,” said a confident Ferdinand Mwongela, a colleague who grew up in Isiolo.

By 8am the following day, we set off for the second leg of the trip crossing the mighty Uaso Nyiro at Archers Post and driving on to the Wamba-Moyale junction. A signpost here sets the distance to Wamba at 53 kilometres. And that is not half the distance!

For the next four hours, we drove through one of the roughest terrain I have had to endure. Foreboding hills and bushes put the entire team on edge.

Stories about armed bandits watching a vehicle from atop some of these hills and descending to the valley below do little to calm the now raw nerves. Heat and dust were becoming unbearable by the minute. Light rains that afternoon did little to help as the vehicle got stuck in mud several times. But to Maralal, we had to go.

What a relief when KTB banners welcomed us to Yare Club on the outskirts of Mararal. This was the venue of the camel derby and related activities. After a brief tour of the facility, we headed to Maralal town for the night.

Whoever coined the name ‘town’ to describe any location on the Kenyan map with a cluster of kiosks, a bank or two and a post office may have stretched his imagination a bit too far. The poor infrastructure here is a cause for worry. Tarmac, it seems, is a foreign concept here. No wonder camels are the most preferred mode of transport.

After breakfast, we headed again to Yare Club to have a taste of not only the camel races, but other social themes as well. What Maralal lacks in conveniences, it makes up with the rich cultural heritage. Samburu and Turkana weddings were among the morning highlights here as were the colourful wares displayed by both communities. All the while, guests were treated to the rhythmic beats of northern Kenya, most notable the Turkana wedding dance.

By mid-morning, the atmosphere was electrifying and entertaining as the camels, riders and handlers assembled in the ultimate test of speed and strength of both man and beast. On hand to flag off the event was the Minister for Tourism Dan Mwazo, and other ministry officials. Crowds lined both sides of the route to witness this once-in-a year event.

Obstinate animals

Camels are not known to respect man made rules. This was evidenced by their lack of self-control and could hardly wait for the official flag off. Their handlers had a hectic time trying to get them to stay still during the countdown.

Conversely, there were hilarious moments when some of the camels defied their riders and handlers and stayed put despite spirited efforts to urge them on. Their owners could not hide their frustrations as the animals lay on the ground while others only did brisk walk moments after the flagging off ceremony.

The animals were clueless as to what the riders and handlers stood to lose if they continued on their go-slow show. One particular camel had no sense of direction choosing to run in the opposite direction much to the chagrin of the handler. Yet another one got fed up with the whole event dashing off to the nearby forest minus the rider who had fallen off.

In the end, Kelly Lewarani showed his prowess in camel riding when he won the race for the second consecutive year with most of the foreign competitors taking part in the amateur race that was won by Ilaina Rabbat from Argentina, while Cameron Davis from United States won the triathlon race.

Despite the perils of the journey, the Maralal International Camel Derby lived up to its billing as one of the most entertaining event, in the northern frontier. And I testified to the fact that camels can indeed run.