Sh365 million raised at 37th Rhino Charge Challenge

The 37th edition of the annual Rhino Charge challenge has raised Sh365 million for conservation, a milestone celebrated alongside major new financial commitments targeted at conserving the country's water towers.

Speaking at the event in the Ngilai Community Conservancy, Samburu County, President William Ruto commended the extraordinary resilience of the chargers, sponsors, and officials who tackled the gruelling, trackless terrain. He noted that the event has no equal in Kenya and Africa in the last 37 years.

"You race not only against the clock and against one another, but in the service of this nation's future," President Ruto said.

"That is the noblest form of sport there is, where every kilometre conquered protects a kilometre of forest."

Peter Kinyua, Rhino Ark board member and former board Chairman of the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), lauded the board on forest protection, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, and strengthening the livelihoods of forest-adjacent communities.

Kinyua provided metrics on Rhino Ark’s 37-year impact.

"As of today, we have built 853 kilometres of electric fence across the Aberdares, Mount Kenya, the Mau, and Kakamega," Kinyua said.

"Together with state agencies, we are protecting 206,152 hectares of vital forest habitats and wildlife. These habitats provide water to our cities, every hydro-power plant, and most of the rivers in the country."

Kinyua added that the fences actively secure over 90,000 Kenyan households from human-wildlife conflict.

However, with infrastructure requiring constant maintenance, Kinyua announced that the Rhino Ark Board has officially committed Sh100 million to seed a newly established Rhino Ark Endowment Fund, where only the earned interest will be used to sustain legacy projects.

Rhino Ark Chief Executive Officer Christian Lambrechts emphasised that while expanding the physical infrastructure is a victory, long-term sustainability is the real battle.

"Every kilometre of fence we build is a step towards safeguarding our ecosystems and communities, but it also increases our maintenance responsibility," Lambrechts noted.

"To address this, the Endowment Fund will secure sustainable financing for the future of our conservation work, ensuring these boundaries remain intact for generations."

He pointed out that Kenya's five primary water towers cover just two per cent of the country’s total land area, yet they hold the country's economic lifeblood.

"Every single river in this country comes from these forests," Lambrechts stated.

"From a biodiversity and economic perspective, all our major coffee and tea estates are located near these forests. These rivers are not only lifelines to communities, but they also support the backbone of the Kenyan national economy. The need to protect the source of our water is critical."

In a major boost to the initiative, President Ruto announced that the government will double the board's commitment, injecting Sh200 million into the fund over the next two years.

"Sustainability is at the heart of any human endeavour that has a longer legacy than those who contribute to it," the President stated. "For every one shilling you have committed, we will commit two shillings."

In a demonstration of the event’s "win-win" conservation model, this year's Rhino Charge host community, Ngilai Community Conservancy, received Sh9.1 million raised through vehicle entry fees and visitor contributions.

Highlighting the economic values, the President noted that Kenya's forests, the nation's primary water towers, contribute an estimated Sh600 billion to the economy annually.

To streamline these efforts, Ruto revealed the establishment of an Integrated Natural Resource Management Secretariat to coordinate environmental agencies, alongside the national tree-planting exercise.

Rhino Charge Clerk of the Course, Don White, notes that the Rhino Charge is a unique event involving so many stakeholders from so many walks of life in Kenya.

The motorsport event also drew the participation of Jean Todt, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety and a former East African Safari Rally competitor. While praising the elite off-road navigation skills displayed in Samburu, Todt called for urgent interventions against road traffic accidents, the leading killer of young people globally.

"Every year, 1.2 million people die on the road, and 50 million people are injured," Todt stated, urging President Ruto to look into the matter.