‘Simba wa Kenya’ takes final bow on heroes’ day

BY KIUNDU WAWERU

NAIROBI KENYA: As Kenya celebrated her heroes on October 20, one of the men who has remained in the minds and memories of many since the 1960s passed on.

Joginder Singh’s name is familiar even to the younger generation for his exploits in the popular Safari Rally, a feat that won him ‘The Flying Sikh’ tag.

His first win was the 13th edition of the East African Safari Rally in 1965 with his brother Jaswant Singh in a second hand Volvo.

Around that time, the rally traversed East Africa in both Tanzania and Uganda; but owing to political unrest in the region, it stayed within the borders of Kenya from 1974. That year, Joginder won the Safari Rally that was hailed as the world’s toughest. This was because the 5000 - 6000 kilometre route was taken in April when there were heavy rains. Also, the Safari Rally was a testing ground for reliability in the production of cars. About 90 per cent of motor vehicles which entered the race never finished.

It thus became an honour for participants to finish the race, regardless of whether one won or not. Indeed, Joginder was a winner three times: 1965, ‘74 and ‘76. In the last two he drove a Mitsubishi Colt Lancer 1600 GSR. Joginder had a decorated career, finishing 19 out of 22 races, which is considered a feat in the history of the race.

His documented exploits zooming past smitten and amazed Kenyans, on changing soil and in unpredictable weather, not to mention the threat of wildlife incldue the time he ripped open the rear axle out of his 1600cc Mitsubishi Galant. He mended it at the side of the road on a Tanzanian Bridge and revved off to the finish line but his engine failed fifty miles from the prize. He came eleventh. That was in 1973.

Also, according to the East African Safari rally website, while driving a Mercedes Benz 450SCL and partnered by an American TV star, Joginder yanked off the passenger side window and part of the door after an accident, before finishing fourteenth.

These exploits earned him fame and recognition. In 2002, he was honoured as a special guest at the start of the 50th Safari Rally. Later in 2007, he was appointed the patron of the Kenya Airways Safari Classic.

But during this year’s Mashujaa Day, Joginder died in London. He lived with his family in Surrey, South East England. Writing from the same city, Shamlal Puri said that his death was caused by heart failure. He added that Joginder had developed heart problems about ten years ago and underwent bypass surgery.

Joginder was born in 1932 in Kericho as the eldest of ten children. He was educated in Nairobi and had his first brush with cars at his father’s garage. He would also work as a mechanic for other firms. He started rallying with a friend in 1958 in a Morris Minor. It is said he knew the East African roads well which put him in good stead. In 1959, driving a private VW, he finished ninth. He would later get support from Cooper Motors and for the next three years, with his brother Jaswant raced and finished the arduous rally. Just before the Kenyan dawn of indepednce in 1962, the brothers posted their best drive at number five.

Three years later, Joginder made history by winning the race with a Volvo that he himself had repaired, and which had previously raced in 1963 and 1964 clocking 42000km.

The ‘Simba wa Kenya’, one of his nick names according to Shamlal Puri also entered history as one of the ‘Unsinkable Seven’ or the ‘Magnificent Seven.’ This honour was achieved when only  seven out of 74 crews finished the 1968 race. The rest were trapped at a particularly troublesome leg in the Mau Escarpment.

Today, the name Joginder Singh is mentioned alongside speed and courage and conjures up memories the famous Safari Rally that has been a part of Kenyan culture for years. He was indeed a Shujaa.