KISUMU,Kenya,28th December –In the less scorching sun of the lakeside city of Kisumu, the engines roared, the tyres spun, and the high-pitched exhausts emitted the much-anticipated sounds of ‘vroom’ and the backfire of ‘twaa twaa’, filling the air.
Motor sport enthusiasts cheered the drivers wildly as some looked awe-struck at the plumes of smoke from the drift cars. These scintillating speeds, moves, and high-adrenaline 360-degree wheel spins left motor sport lovers and residents craving more.
Cameras clicked, and several videos were recorded by photographers and onlookers alike to capture the stunning spur-of-the-moment moment: cars moved rhythmically up and down, with their spoilers down, forcing them. They left beautiful doodle marks along their shiny road trails.
Welcome to the inaugural Kisumu City Drift Takeover held on Saturday 27th December, which brought motoring glitz and stunting 101, adding some flair and flavour to the holiday season.
According to the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Tourism, Trade and Marketing, Hon Farida Salim, the event is one of the new tourism products that her department has unveiled.
“The faces of those who have attended are a clear indication that they have embraced it. We look forward to making it an annual festival here in Kisumu,” she said.
However, Farida emphasised that this can be enhanced by onboarding more partners alongside Kisumu County Government, Al-Husnain Motors and Crabmen East Africa Drift School.
She added that the Drift Takeover joins a list of the latest tourism products, such as Tree Therapy in Seme Sub-County, and the exploration of skydiving after benchmarking in the coastal areas of Diani.
They’re geared towards wooing local and international tourists, showcasing the city as an ideal destination for sports tourism and shoring up numbers during happy holidays.
On his part, Jin Lu, the Drift Master, expressed heartfelt enthusiasm for the reception from local residents to the motor sport activities.
“I saw that all people were happy when I did my stunts at the roundabouts. It seems that they have never seen drifts and motorsports in this area for quite a long time,” Lu remarked during a presser on the sidelines of the event.
In his comments, he described how he drew satisfaction from showing motor sport lovers how drifting is done, interestingly, to excite them.
Earlier, at 11am, the motor cars roared into life with a purpose: the tyres met the roads from the expansive Mega City building, zoomed along the Nairobi highway at supersonic speed with headlights shining brightly.
They snaked their way into the streets of Ang’awa and Oginga Odinga for the penultimate show at the Central Square. Local bikers also didn’t disappoint, as they had a field day showcasing their creative skills to the ecstatic onlookers.
The evening edition of the motor sport showbiz was held at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Ground, graced by Abala Wanga, the Kisumu City Manager, Judith Oluoch, CECM Public Service, and a guest appearance by a popular music artist, Prince Indah.
Several local fans, young and old, lauded the initiative, terming it a motoring spectacle which should be staged periodically to encourage the youth to venture into it.
