Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust’s 2026 Rhino Charge event raised KES 365 million in Samburu County, the highest amount the organisation says it has collected through the annual off-road fundraiser, after the challenge was held on Saturday at Ngilai Community Conservancy.

According to the event statement, Safaricom-backed participant Adil Khawaja (Car No. 44, AK44) retained the top fundraiser position for the fourth consecutive year after raising KES 216 million—an amount Rhino Ark described as the highest ever raised by a single team at the event.

The fundraiser, now in its 37th edition, is a key private-sector and community-supported financing channel for conservation projects linked to Kenya’s mountain ecosystems—often referred to as “water towers”—which are important catchment areas underpinning water supply for households, agriculture, and industry.

Rhino Ark said the 2026 proceeds will support the trust’s activities, including “the conservation and protection of Kenya’s mountain range ecosystems.” It also said it handed over a KES 9.1 million cheque to support Ngilai community projects.

In a statement issued after the event, Khawaja attributed the result to broader support beyond his team. “Retaining the top fundraiser title for the fourth consecutive year is an honour, not just for me but for the entire team. I am grateful to everyone who supported this cause. This achievement reflects the collective effort of many who believe in environmental conservation and in making a lasting impact,” said Adil Khawaja, Team Lead, Car No. 44 (AK44).

Rhino Ark reported that Khawaja raised KES 139.8 million last year, compared with KES 175 million in 2024 and KES 60 million in 2023. In 2026, Mark Glen (Car No. 48) and Peter Kinyua (Car No. 23) raised KES 10.8 million and KES 8.5 million respectively, ranking second and third. Martin Kinyanjui of Magnate Chargers (Car No. 62) was fourth with KES 7.7 million, while Robin Tilbury (Car No. 35) placed fifth after raising KES 7 million, Rhino Ark said.

Beyond fundraising, the event includes a competitive off-road element. Rhino Ark said the 2026 challenge featured 65 cars. Team Huzi (Car No. 33), led by Oliver Outram, won the overall title after covering all 13 checkpoints over a 27 km course under the super modified category, retaining the title for the second year in a row.

The Hatarious Chargers (Car No. 3), led by Gurmeet Mehta, placed second after covering 30.4 km, while Patrick Garner of Braeburn Seven Squared (Car No. 49) finished third after covering 31.1 km, according to the statement. Mark Glen (Car No. 48) and Adil Khawaja (Car No. 44) finished fourth and fifth after covering 31.9 km and 32.2 km respectively. Rhino Ark added that Khawaja clinched the Victor Ludorum award.

Corporate sponsorship remained a significant contributor. Rhino Ark said the 2026 Rhino Charge received KES 114 million in sponsorship support from M-PESA Foundation and Safaricom PLC. Of this, the M-PESA Foundation committed KES 94 million towards conservation activities including “fencing and protection of the Mount Elgon Forest (Suam Block)” and restoration of the Mau Forest Complex across Narok, Kericho and Bomet counties.

Safaricom’s sponsorship supported three cars—Car No. 44, Car No. 29 (The EV Explorers), and Car No. 50 (Team Zambarau, Heels on Wheels)—as well as network connectivity during the event, according to the statement.

The results reinforce the growing role of corporate-linked philanthropy and community conservancy partnerships in financing environmental protection in Kenya, particularly where ecosystem degradation can raise costs for water-dependent sectors and amplify climate-related risks.

Rhino Ark did not provide dates for the next edition in the statement, but said the 2026 event marked the 37th running of Rhino Charge, signalling continuity of the annual conservation fundraising model.

The 37th edition of Kenya’s Rhino Charge 4x4 off-road competition will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Ngilai in Samburu County, with 65 vehicles entered across three categories, according to organisers and sponsors.

Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust said the annual event raises funds for conservation and protection of Kenya’s mountain ecosystems—often referred to as the country’s “Water Towers”—which underpin water security for households, agriculture and industry.

Safaricom PLC and M-PESA Foundation said they will provide a combined KES 114 million in sponsorship for the 2026 event. Of this, M-PESA Foundation committed KES 94 million to support Rhino Ark’s conservation activities, including fencing and protection of the Mount Elgon Forest (Suam Block) and restoration work in the Mau Forest Complex across Narok, Kericho and Bomet counties.

Safaricom said it contributed KES 20 million to support three participating cars and provide network connectivity during the event. Under the team support allocation, Car No. 44 received KES 15 million, while EV Explorers and Zambarau Heels on Wheels each received KES 1 million. The remaining KES 3 million is for network connectivity during the competition, according to the statement.

The 2026 field includes Safaricom-sponsored teams EV Explorers, led by Richard Kiplagat; AK44, led by Adil Khawaja; and the all-women team Zambarau Heels on Wheels. Organisers said vehicles will compete in Modified, Super Modified and Unmodified categories.

“The car is in great condition and the entire team is excited and ready to take on the course. I would like to sincerely thank all our sponsors, especially Safaricom and M-PESA, for their tremendous support,” said Adil Khawaja, Team Lead, Car No. 44 (AK44). He added that the team hoped to retain its position as the leading fundraiser while backing conservation efforts.

Rhino Ark said preparations were completed following scrutineering and security checks ahead of race day. “The stage is fully set for this year’s Rhino Charge, with 65 car entries ready to take on the challenge. Today’s scrutineering process was focused on ensuring that all participating vehicles meet the required standards, and I am pleased to confirm that everything is in place, including the necessary security arrangements,” said Christian Lambrechts, Executive Director of Rhino Ark.

EV participation will again feature in the 2026 event. “This marks our second participation in the Rhino Charge with an electric vehicle, following last year’s historic debut of an EV in the competition. We gained valuable lessons from that experience and have since made significant improvements to the vehicle,” said Richard Kiplagat, Team Lead, EV Explorers.

The organisers cited last year’s fundraising performance as an indicator of the event’s growing role as a financing platform for conservation-linked interventions. The 2025 Rhino Charge, held at Simo-Soi in Baringo North, raised KES 269.5 million, Rhino Ark said. AK44 emerged as the top fundraising team after raising KES 139.8 million. Car No. 23, led by Peter Kinyua, raised KES 13.5 million, while Car No. 63, led by Tim Carstens, raised KES 8.6 million, according to the organisers.

For Kenya’s business landscape, Rhino Charge has become a high-profile channel through which corporates and foundations support conservation projects that protect water catchments critical to power generation, irrigation, manufacturing supply chains and urban water systems. The 2026 sponsorship allocations also illustrate how corporate giving is being tied to specific, measurable interventions—such as fencing, protection and restoration—within major ecosystems.

Rhino Ark said the event’s proceeds support its work to conserve mountain range ecosystems. The 2026 competition at Ngilai will proceed on May 30, with participating teams targeting both performance on the course and fundraising for conservation programmes.

KCB Bank Kenya and the KCB Foundation have injected KSh7 million into the 2026 Rhino Charge ahead of the 37th edition of the off-road motorsport fundraiser set for May 30 in Samburu County, the lender said in a statement dated May 28, 2026.

According to the press release, KSh5 million of the sponsorship will support Car No. 44 (Team AK 44), while an additional KSh2 million through the KCB Foundation will back the EV Explorers team, which is participating with an electric vehicle.

The Rhino Charge is a corporate-backed fundraising event that supports conservation initiatives, including protection of Kenya’s water towers. The sponsorship underscores how financial institutions and corporates are using sports-linked philanthropy to channel funding to environmental priorities, which have become more prominent amid climate-related risks affecting agriculture, tourism and water supply.

Speaking during the sponsorship announcement, Rosalind Gichuru, KCB Group Director Marketing and Communications, linked the bank’s support to environmental conservation and climate action. “The Rhino Charge continues to play a critical role in conserving Kenya’s vital water towers and ecosystems. As KCB, we are proud to support this… aligns with our sustainability agenda and Sustainable Development Goal No. 13 on Climate Action,” Ms Gichuru said. She added that the bank’s backing of Car No. 44 and EV Explorers is also aimed at “championing innovation and inclusion in motorsport and environmental conservation.”

The organisers expect the 2026 edition to attract 55 entries, the statement said, including defending overall champions Team Huzi (Car No. 33) and Team Zambarau, an all-ladies team.

KCB said part of the support to EV Explorers will go alongside a talent initiative targeting Kenya’s technical training ecosystem. The EV Explorers team has launched the EV Explorers Innovation Challenge targeting two female TVET engineering students in Kenya, according to the press release. The selected students will receive sponsorship for the remainder of their studies and a three-month paid industrial attachment at Foley’s Garage to gain experience in electric vehicle development and maintenance.

Adil Khawaja, identified in the statement as a driver of Team AK 44, said corporate sponsorship remains central to the event’s fundraising model and to emerging initiatives around sustainable mobility. “We are delighted to see corporate partners such as KCB continue investing in conservation and sustainable mobility solutions,” Mr Khawaja said, adding that support to EV Explorers could “help accelerate innovation and inspire more young people, especially women, to pursue opportunities in engineering and electric mobility.”

For Kenya’s emerging electric mobility market, the involvement of an EV-focused team in a high-profile national fundraiser provides additional visibility for local innovation and skills development, even as the sector faces constraints such as charging infrastructure coverage, vehicle costs and limited specialised maintenance capacity. The TVET-focused challenge and industrial attachment model points to a growing role for private sector partnerships in building skills for new mobility technologies.

KCB also cited fundraising results from last year’s event as an indicator of the Rhino Charge’s financial scale. The 2025 Rhino Charge, held in Saimo Soi, Baringo County, raised KSh269.5 million towards conservation of Kenya’s water towers, according to the press release. Team AK 44 emerged as the top fundraiser for the third consecutive year after raising KSh139.8 million.

With the 2026 race set for May 30 in Samburu, attention will now shift to participation numbers, fundraising totals and how much of the proceeds are ultimately channelled into water tower conservation projects after the event.

Safaricom Plc and the M-PESA Foundation have committed KES 114 million to support the 2026 Rhino Charge Challenge scheduled for Saturday, May 30, in Samburu, with the bulk of the funding earmarked for Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust’s conservation work, according to a company press release issued in May 2026.

Safaricom said KES 94 million of the total will be channelled through the M-PESA Foundation to support Rhino Ark activities, including fencing and protection of Mount Elgon Forest (Suam Block) and restoration efforts in the Mau Forest Complex across Narok, Kericho and Bomet counties. The company said the support will also extend to the Mount Kenya Forest Rehabilitation and Protection Project in Tharaka Nithi County.

The remaining KES 20 million will be provided by Safaricom Plc to support participation by three entry cars and to provide connectivity during the event. Safaricom said KES 17 million of its allocation will support Car No. 44 led by Adil Khawaja, the EV Explorers team led by Richard Kiplagat, and the all-ladies team Zambarau Heels on the Wheel led by Agnes Mwangi. The balance of KES 3 million will be used for network connectivity during the competition.

Speaking during a cheque handover ceremony at Safaricom headquarters in Nairobi, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa linked the sponsorship to the company’s sustainability priorities. “This year, we are proud to commit KES 114 million through the M-PESA Foundation and Safaricom. As a company, sustainability remains central to how we create long-term value for our customers, communities, and the environment. Our support for the Rhino Charge reflects our commitment to practical conservation efforts that protect Kenya’s natural heritage while driving innovation and resilience,” Mr Ndegwa said, according to the press release.

Safaricom said the connectivity support will include deployment of 5G at the event site to improve communications for participants and spectators.

Under the team support allocation, Safaricom said Car No. 44 will receive KES 15 million, while EV Explorers and Zambarau Heels on the Wheel will each receive KES 1 million.

The Rhino Charge is an annual off-road 4×4 competition that raises funds for Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust, which focuses on conservation and protection of Kenya’s mountain ecosystems—often referred to as “water towers.” The event’s fundraising model has become a significant funding stream for conservation infrastructure, particularly electric fencing that aims to reduce human-wildlife conflict and protect key catchment areas.

Safaricom’s announcement comes as corporates continue to increase visibility around climate adaptation and water-tower protection, issues that have direct economic implications for Kenya’s agriculture, hydropower generation, and tourism value chains. Funding directed to fencing and rehabilitation can also influence local livelihoods by reducing crop losses and security risks associated with wildlife incursions, while enabling more predictable land use around protected areas.

Participants also framed the support as enabling greater competitiveness and representation. “As Team Zambarau, we are grateful for Safaricom’s support… This support not only empowers our team but also reinforces our shared mission of advancing conservation and protecting Kenya’s natural heritage through the Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust,” said Elizabeth Wanjiku, a team member at Zambarau Heels on the Wheel, according to the statement.

Richard Kiplagat, team lead for EV Explorers, said the sponsorship will support the team’s second consecutive year in the competition. “As the only EV team in the competition, we are highly motivated not only to complete the challenge but also to emerge among the best, building on lessons from last year’s mechanical challenges as we champion the future of electric mobility and environmental conservation,” Mr Kiplagat said.

Safaricom cited Rhino Charge’s 2025 fundraising performance as a benchmark for the scale of giving the event attracts. According to the press release, the 2025 edition in Saimo Soi, Baringo County, raised KES 269.5 million. Safaricom said Adil Khawaja was the top fundraiser for the third consecutive year after raising KES 139.8 million, followed by Car No. 23 led by Peter Kinyua at KES 13.5 million and Car No. 63 led by Tim Carstens at KES 8.6 million.

Looking ahead to the 2026 event, Safaricom said the 37th edition is expected to attract 55 entries, including the 2025 overall winners Team Huzi (Car No. 33) and Team Zambarau. Separately, Rhino Ark Executive Director Christian Lambrechts said preparations were ongoing and projected higher participation. “This year’s preparations for the Rhino Charge Challenge are in full swing, and we expect a total of 65 entries to take part in the challenge and fundraising effort,” Mr Lambrechts said, according to the statement.