Picture this: you’re 20 kilometres into a marathon, legs burning, lungs working overtime – and a rhinoceros strolls across your path. Welcome to the Lewa Safari Marathon, where conservation meets competition in an extraordinary way.

This year marked a milestone that feels particularly meaningful for Safaricom Kenya: the 25th anniversary of an event we’ve supported since day one, coinciding with our own silver jubilee celebration. It’s a partnership that embodies the Vodacom purpose of connecting for a better future.

A tale of two champions

On 28 June, Mercy Kwambai made winning this year’s Lewa Safari Marathon look effortless. The 36-year-old successfully defended her women’s marathon title, crossing the finish line at 2:47:17 to claim her second consecutive victory at this notoriously challenging event.

“The course was quite hot and tough, with some challenging hilly terrain,” Kwambai said after her win, “but thanks to good preparation and training, I managed to win the race.” Her journey with the Lewa Safari Marathon began in 2022 when she finished second in the half marathon. Now, she uses this race as preparation for other competitions while celebrating its positive community impact.

Meanwhile, Samson Lemayan from Maralal claimed the men’s title with a time of 2:28:35, a sweet victory that came seven years after his first attempt in 2018. “I didn’t perform well then, but today I’m glad to have emerged as the overall winner,” he said.

Going the distance for future generations

What makes the Lewa Safari Marathon extraordinary isn’t just the wildlife encounters or the challenging terrain across savannah plains, riverbanks and woodland. It’s the purpose that drives every step.

This year’s theme, “Connecting Generations Through 25 Years of Conservation”, captured something profound about what we’ve achieved together. Over 1 400 participants, local and international, gathered to test their endurance while contributing to something bigger than themselves. 

The numbers tell an incredible story of impact:
  • Over $9 million raised since inception
  • More than $4 million invested directly in protecting endangered species, other wildlife and their habitats
  • From 180 runners in 2000 to over 1 400 participants today
  • From $50 000 raised initially to close to $500 000 in recent years.

Our shared silver jubilee

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“The Lewa Safari Marathon embodies the true spirit of Safaricom’s purpose of transforming lives by driving meaningful impact to the community,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom.

“As one of the key partners, we are proud of the impact this marathon has had over the past 25 years, a journey we have walked together, especially as we also celebrate our silver jubilee this year.”

This alignment feels natural because both Safaricom and the Lewa Marathon share the same DNA, as both were founded on the belief that bringing people together creates the kind of change that can transform communities and protect the planet.

Safaricom’s commitment this year included KES 10 million in sponsorship, ensuring seamless connectivity at the event and supporting our very own Safaricom Lions of Lewa – colleagues from across the business who train rigorously to participate in this challenging event. 

Conservation in action

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Mike Watson, CEO of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, captured the urgency of the marathon’s mission: “As we face unprecedented threats to our planet, it is essential that we take action to protect our wildlife and their habitats.”

The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, a UNESCO World Heritage site, provides the dramatic backdrop for this endurance test. But it’s also a living laboratory for conservation success, where funds raised have supported everything from protecting elephants to safeguarding baby turtles.

The marathon has been listed by Red Bull’s “World’s Strangest and Toughest Marathons”. Running alongside the Big Five requires not just physical stamina, but a deep respect for the delicate ecosystem that participants help protect with every step.

For the next 25 years, we’ll continue running alongside these conservation heroes, connecting communities and protecting the future – one step at a time.

Safaricom’s sporting spirit

Our commitment to sports extends far beyond the Lewa Safari Marathon. Over more than two decades, Safaricom has invested over KES 3 billion in nurturing sporting talent across Kenya, driven by a simple belief: sports transform lives and unite communities.

From Safaricom Chapa Dimba in football to supporting athletics, basketball, e-sports, rugby, golf, motorsports, chess and charity runs, we’ve created platforms for young Kenyans to shine. Many of our employees are also accomplished long-distance runners, with several having completed challenges like the legendary Comrades Marathon in South Africa. 

  • Our partnerships with Athletics Kenya, the Deaf Athletics Association of Kenya, and the National Paralympics Committee have supported everything from the Olympics to the Kip Keino Classic.
  • We’ve celebrated our athletes as brand ambassadors who carry Kenya’s flag proudly on the global stage. in 2019, we rebranded the M-PESA logo to “Eliud 159” in honour of long-distance legend Eliud Kipchoge and unveiled murals in his honour. Faith Kipyegon, the world record holder for the 1 500 metres and the mile, continues to fly the Kenyan flag high with our support.
  • Through the Jr. NBA tournament via M-PESA and our sponsorship of Shujaa and the Kenya Lionesses, we remain committed to providing platforms where dreams transform into reality.