Garuga, where motorbikes, women and beer abound
Dec 06, 2007
GARUGA Circuit Sprint has become one of the best motorcycle rally places in the country. Thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts flock this circuit sprint to share the fun. Motorbikes roar and thunder down from the high tracks and weave up through twisting canyons to converge on the picturesque landscap
By Pidson Kareire
GARUGA Circuit Sprint has become one of the best motorcycle rally places in the country. Thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts flock this circuit sprint to share the fun. Motorbikes roar and thunder down from the high tracks and weave up through twisting canyons to converge on the picturesque landscape as spectators cheer.
Last Sunday, when scores of riders from Kenya, Tanzania, Congo and Uganda, entertained spectators with death-defying stunts, most of the fans held their breath as the daring riders flew and turned their bikes mid-air.
Tom Porter, a Kenyan motorcyclist, claimed maximum points to boost his team to the Central Africa Motocross championships. The 18-year-old outpaced the field in all the three heats to claim the individual award as well.
The prolific Kenyan rider showed immense skill on a Yamaha 125cc, leaving his challengers on more powerful machines to bite the dust. Uganda’s Orland Barrak trailed throughout the three rounds.
Injured Ugandan ace, Arthur Blick, tried to defy the odds, but was let down by low pressure in the last heat. Blick, who endured the situation to the finish, went ahead to retain the national Motorcross championship after finishing second with 108 points behind Porter (120) on the individual podium.
But the Kenyan young riders led by Cruz Mungai and Tutu Maina proved a lot better than their Ugandan counterparts, sweeping the 85cc, 60cc and 50cc races. This is the fourth time Porter, who led a Kenyan squad of 14 riders, is outpacking Ugandans in their own backyard.
The rally attracted as many folks as its organisers hoped. Most of them showed up excited as hundreds engaged in rocking parties. In fact, the rally was pronounced a grand success by tipsy fans.
That was just as far as the sport bit went. There were a great many that got the thrill out of it. However, like the Ascot Goat race in Munyonyo, the majority of the fans would not care less for the race. Once you attend one of these races, you will realise the fans (read revellers) derive their pleasure from a lot more than the daredevil drivers.
You will meet all the wild urban dwellers here. There is also everything to keep you away from concentrating on the motor rally. There are rocking parties, wild damsels, alcohol, wild fun, and spectators always become excited and keep the buzz going till dusk.
The place is also a host to ganja-wielding maniacs, who at times act out unaccepted scenes in public. Some of these spectators drink excessively, smoke ganja and cut loose. They later dive into the lake to fornicate.
This is literally what happens here. Most spectators are never once sober the whole time they are there!
At the lakeshores, the sight of drunken men and women partying wild and getting naked is not uncommon. Kissing and getting dirty is part of the fun. Those who have enough money to spend slope down to the lake and enjoy romantic boat rides.
Others opt to spend all their money on beer and nyama choma (mchomo).
Everything at Garuga is in excess; food stalls are as many as the spectators, and they are never empty. It looks like people go there to eat, drink and dance.
They roam with bottles of beer and finally settle where live performances are.
Celebrities, especially musicians, have also been sucked into this wild lifestyle.
They flock the place not necessarily to perform, but rather to add glamour to the party and the fans just love them. Jose Chameleone, Fire Base Crew and Blu*3 are the most regular ones. Everyone at Garuga prefers to wear dark shades just like the celebrities, while female spectators dress as if they are on fashion parade.
And as the motorcycles rave on to the tracks, hundreds of the sport enthusiasts accelerate a circuit sprint of their own. Gorgeous babes, business people, vendors and all the socialites race against each other in a social game of partying, socialising and sex.
They also enjoy the sport the whole day of sprint, the atmosphere that comes with the breeze from the lake as they unwind. The place is also famous for away matches — a favourite get-away for ‘poached’ companions.
Rowdy city bikers also roam the place as their gigantic bikes litter the lawn. Here, food prices vary according to face value, but the cheapest is sh2,000. Diehard braggarts burden themselves with cartons of tinned beer, which they carry around to show off.
Beer stalls are the centre of attraction. It is here that you will run into a bunch of wild party girls. They are always easy to spot as they are doing shots or dancing like maniacs.
GARUGA Circuit Sprint has become one of the best motorcycle rally places in the country. Thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts flock this circuit sprint to share the fun. Motorbikes roar and thunder down from the high tracks and weave up through twisting canyons to converge on the picturesque landscape as spectators cheer.
Last Sunday, when scores of riders from Kenya, Tanzania, Congo and Uganda, entertained spectators with death-defying stunts, most of the fans held their breath as the daring riders flew and turned their bikes mid-air.
Tom Porter, a Kenyan motorcyclist, claimed maximum points to boost his team to the Central Africa Motocross championships. The 18-year-old outpaced the field in all the three heats to claim the individual award as well.
The prolific Kenyan rider showed immense skill on a Yamaha 125cc, leaving his challengers on more powerful machines to bite the dust. Uganda’s Orland Barrak trailed throughout the three rounds.
Injured Ugandan ace, Arthur Blick, tried to defy the odds, but was let down by low pressure in the last heat. Blick, who endured the situation to the finish, went ahead to retain the national Motorcross championship after finishing second with 108 points behind Porter (120) on the individual podium.
But the Kenyan young riders led by Cruz Mungai and Tutu Maina proved a lot better than their Ugandan counterparts, sweeping the 85cc, 60cc and 50cc races. This is the fourth time Porter, who led a Kenyan squad of 14 riders, is outpacking Ugandans in their own backyard.
The rally attracted as many folks as its organisers hoped. Most of them showed up excited as hundreds engaged in rocking parties. In fact, the rally was pronounced a grand success by tipsy fans.
That was just as far as the sport bit went. There were a great many that got the thrill out of it. However, like the Ascot Goat race in Munyonyo, the majority of the fans would not care less for the race. Once you attend one of these races, you will realise the fans (read revellers) derive their pleasure from a lot more than the daredevil drivers.
You will meet all the wild urban dwellers here. There is also everything to keep you away from concentrating on the motor rally. There are rocking parties, wild damsels, alcohol, wild fun, and spectators always become excited and keep the buzz going till dusk.
The place is also a host to ganja-wielding maniacs, who at times act out unaccepted scenes in public. Some of these spectators drink excessively, smoke ganja and cut loose. They later dive into the lake to fornicate.
This is literally what happens here. Most spectators are never once sober the whole time they are there!
At the lakeshores, the sight of drunken men and women partying wild and getting naked is not uncommon. Kissing and getting dirty is part of the fun. Those who have enough money to spend slope down to the lake and enjoy romantic boat rides.
Others opt to spend all their money on beer and nyama choma (mchomo).
Everything at Garuga is in excess; food stalls are as many as the spectators, and they are never empty. It looks like people go there to eat, drink and dance.
They roam with bottles of beer and finally settle where live performances are.
Celebrities, especially musicians, have also been sucked into this wild lifestyle.
They flock the place not necessarily to perform, but rather to add glamour to the party and the fans just love them. Jose Chameleone, Fire Base Crew and Blu*3 are the most regular ones. Everyone at Garuga prefers to wear dark shades just like the celebrities, while female spectators dress as if they are on fashion parade.
And as the motorcycles rave on to the tracks, hundreds of the sport enthusiasts accelerate a circuit sprint of their own. Gorgeous babes, business people, vendors and all the socialites race against each other in a social game of partying, socialising and sex.
They also enjoy the sport the whole day of sprint, the atmosphere that comes with the breeze from the lake as they unwind. The place is also famous for away matches — a favourite get-away for ‘poached’ companions.
Rowdy city bikers also roam the place as their gigantic bikes litter the lawn. Here, food prices vary according to face value, but the cheapest is sh2,000. Diehard braggarts burden themselves with cartons of tinned beer, which they carry around to show off.
Beer stalls are the centre of attraction. It is here that you will run into a bunch of wild party girls. They are always easy to spot as they are doing shots or dancing like maniacs.