• Retired Kimoso assistant chief Joseph Malatit Chebii, 61, was walking to raise funds to construct the stalled Kabarnet Stadium.
• Chebii said he would usually take a chapati served with a cup of tea for breakfast and drink four litres of a mixture of water and honey during the day.
A Baringo ex-chief lost three kilos of body weight and three pairs of shoes wore out during his 10-day 354km charity walk to Nairobi.
Retired Kimoso assistant chief Joseph Malatit Chebii, 61, was walking to raise funds to construct the stalled Kabarnet Stadium.
“I was 76kg before I started the walk. I lost three kilos throughout my journey on foot from Baringo,” he said.
He reached his destination, Nairobi, on Monday. Chebii said he would usually take a chapati served with a cup of tea for breakfast and drink four litres of a mixture of water and honey during the day.
He said two pairs of shoes wore out on the rough and hilly roads of Baringo-Nakuru and a third pair on the Nakuru-Nairobi highway.
“The tarmac roads in Baringo are rough and hilly,” he said.
Wildlife
On Thursday, the man recalls braving the 21km-stretch between Gilgil and Naivasha, which is inhabited by wild animals.
“A troop of naughty baboons pursued me for a kilometre. Luckily, I didn’t encounter a dangerous animal like leopard, hyena or lion,” he said.
Chebii thanked traffic police officers, whom he said cheered, encouraged and assured him of his safety. “They kept telling me to just keep going, the road ahead of you is clear and safe.”
He said he did not encounter hostile people along the way.
“In fact, everyone I met was so friendly. Some offered me water and small cash to sustain me throughout the journey, while some took photos with me. I really enjoyed,” Chebii said.
He now hopes to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta, Safaricom chief executive officer Peter Ndegwa and National Olympic Committee of Kenya president Paul Tergat.
“My message to them is just to help raise funds to complete and equip Kabarnet stadium. Only then will my heart rest.”
He insists his trek had nothing to do with physical exercise. “It is purely a patriotic cause to reclaim the glory of the only stadium in Baringo, my own motherland.”
During his trek, he carried a banner written ‘Kabarnet Stadium Tuokoe’. He also had a traditionally beaded club.
On Saturday, Labour CS Simon Chelugui, who comes from Baringo, urged fellow leaders and Kenyans to support Chebii's initiative.
He said the old man is passing an important message to Kenyans that there is a need to complete Kabarnet stadium and have it equipped to world-class modern standards.
“I appeal to my colleague leaders and fellow Kenyans to listen carefully to the mzee and see how this issue can be addressed,” Chelugui said.
“Land is available for the stadium. What lacks is money to complete it and put it into use,” he said.
Construction of Kabarnet stadium was initiated by former Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi in 2014. It has stalled.
The abandoned, rocky, dilapidated stadium has been turned into a den of illicit brew and a perching ground for love birds. The field is littered with bottles of liquor and condoms.
The trenches dug around the field caused the death of one person and another one was injured. A number of animals have also fallen in and died.
Edited by A.N
Baringo ex-chief Joseph Malatit Chebii has concluded his 354km trek to Nairobi to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta to raise funds and awareness of the stalled Kabaret stadium and to get its construction restarted and completed. Subscribe for more videos: https://bit.ly/2mPyDy3 Connect with The Star Online Online on: WHATSAPP: https://bit.ly/2p8IC2e TELEGRAM : https://bit.ly/2oszlSe Sign Up To THE STAR WEBSITE for Exclusive content: FACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/2ot4G7m TWITTER: https://bit.ly/2mPoH7K INSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/2mPoZLS Email NEWSLETTER: Visit The Star WEBSITE: https://www.the-star.co.ke/