The might in climbing Longonot

By Matthias Mugisha As the day lights seemed to fade from it’s body and soul, the ‘’ the red bull’’ struggling with the help of concerned good-samaritans to propel it self at 2,776 metres above sea level under the scorching sun collapsed. It sunk into the several-inches deep powder-like dust that decorates Mt. Longonot summit as loud calls for glucose pierced the hot afternoon that had defied the cold strong breeze. “Red bull’’ then gasped for breath, reached for a bottle of Kilimanjaro mineral water and took a gulp. “The red bull has made it’’ the Sam Mugoya, the self-styled musician and cheer leader of the group announced to a clapping, albeit worn-out looking ‘gang.’ The tired group burst into songs and danced to their own tunes that turned out to be the Kenya, Uganda and Buganda kingdom anthems respectively. This was followed by the famous song Omugoongo gunduuma, meaning my back is aching in a mixture of Luganda and Runyankole. The group had made it to the top. Some had paid a bigger price because just under the shade of some stunted shrubs, Eddie Day, who had now turned into a medical doctor was giving first aid to ‘model,’ Emily Njeri. Good looking Emily Njeri, to the surprise of many, had turned up clad in high-heeled shoes. With her legs donning the most fashionable silver chains, she looked like Naomi Campbell set for the mother of all catwalks. As Eddie now applied some cream on her bruised feet, Njeri must have been in position, through painful experience, to discourage everybody never to dare climb mountains wearing stilettos. The ‘red bull,’ which was of concern to almost everybody, is a respectable lady called Nora Njuba. Njuba, who was nicknamed ‘red bull’ for reasons best known to mountain climbers, is Shell Uganda’s retail manager. The musician group leader Mugoya is the company’s procurement manager. Eddie, ‘Njeri’s ‘doctor’ was none other than Shell East Africa’s regional director. It was for the love of adventure, physical fitness and socialising that this professional group, which now looked haggard, had decided to climb Mt. Longonot in the heart of the Kenyan rift valley. The trip was organised by Shell Kenya as a return favour for the Mt. Elgon climbing they had done four months ago, at the invitation of their Ugandan counterparts (Shell Uganda officials). The warm up physical exercises, done by 53 people, 30 of them Ugandans, were witnessed on the morning of October 20 at the foot of Mt Longonot. The exercises were conducted by wag Akelora of Shell Kenya. Akerora was later voted coward of the expedition because, though tough as he seemed, he retired less than half way through the climb. At 9:30 am, the group started the real climb. It was tougher than most people had thought. The mountain was dry. The terrain consists of rugged dusty rocks, and gorges that force climbers to use their knees, buttocks, and walk on fours when the going gets tough. Because of the heat that over shadows the cold breeze, on the mountain, most climbers were gasping for water barely after an hour of climbing, the first victim being Nora, the ‘red bull.’ After the first gruelling four kilometres, the group that was naturally divided according to one’s climbing pace and ability, had finished the first stage which was the vegetated crater at the top of the mountain. Spirits lowered, when they discovered they had to circumvent the 8km radius round the crater through the difficult terrain before descending. It was at this stage that many including Akelora made a tactical withdrawal back to base. And thus Akelora earned his nick name ‘coward of the mountain.’ Mt. Longonot, situated in the 52 sq. km longonot national park is a young volcanic mountain. The park, which was opened in 1983, is 90 Km from Nairobi and commands a good view of Lake Naivasha & Great Rift Valley. The mountain was created during the massive eruptions, which formed the Great Rift Valley. The mountain sides have beautiful V-shaped valleys and ridges. It is along these ridges which surround the waterless crater, that the highest peak commanding a spectacular view of the Naivasha basin rises to 2,776 meters above sea level. When the determined group reached this summit, Mugoya excitedly announced, “The red bull has made it.’’ Njuba was being pulled while Njeri of the high-heeled fame was getting first aid on her bruised feet. Interestingly, the distance so far covered was just a quarter of the whole trek. “Is this Shell’s view of fun?’’ some people wondered as they muttered to themselves. Interestingly, tough as climbing Mt Longonot appears, primary school pupils in Kenya often climb it as part of their exercises. Ddembe Lukomwa of Shell Aviation Uganda got mixed up with some primary school pupils who were running while climbing the mountain as if they were drinking water. At the age of 51, Lukomwa was the first among the Shell lot to hit it back to base in a record of four hours. The rest tri-ckled down looking like zombies. The group trekked to the Lake-side Tourist lodge to have fun. ends