Kickstarting the countdown to the marathon, flanked by the race ambassador, former world champion and marathoner Catherine Ndereba, Governor Badilisha said that this “will be a rallying point and a race against time to reclaim one of the most critical lakes – a home to hundreds of bird species from across the world, a haven for hippopotamuses, and a source of water to four downstream counties.

That is why we have to walk the talk, literary, to save this jewel.”

 

Some of the other developments earmarked to promote the lake as a tourism attraction and a sustainable ecological venture include a running track along its shoreline, eco-friendly investments in areas of hospitality and conservation, regulation of upstream activities as well as exploitation of available bio deposits.

 

The marathon will start at the equator – latitude 0, under the theme “Running to promote sports tourism and conservation”, and will end at the lake, which is categorized as Key Biodiversity Area as well as the 61st Important Bird Area (IBA) in Kenya.

Present were the deputy Governor H.E Mathara Mwangi, CECMs Hon. Agnes Njuji, Hon. Catherine Gitau, area MCA Hon. Dan Githinji, and a host of other officers from the county government and Athletics Kenya.