KCA UNIVERSITY’S VC & CEO Cycling Tour Goes International

On August 13^th, a peloton of 10 cyclists will clip into their pedals beside Prof. Isaiah Wakindiki, VC & CEO of KCA University, and set off on the third cycling tour; the first to cross international borders. Their mission is simple but profound: to ride for education and road safety, and to raise KES 15 million to fund scholarships for brilliant students whose dreams risk stalling due to a lack of school fees.

For three days, this determined convoy of staff members, students, corporate partners and philanthropists will leave Nairobi and glide through Namanga, cross into Arusha then loop back through Machakos before finally rolling home to KCA University’s main campus in Ruaraka on August 15^th. Every kilometre covered will be a promise of access, of safety, of hope.

What began in 2023 as a blended passion for cycling with a mission to fund education has grown into a movement that has raised funds that have transformed the lives of 36 students who have been handed keys to unlock their futures. For the first time, the tour will cross borders. Just like education knows no bounds, neither should the effort to make it accessible. This initiative goes beyond geographical expansion to carry the message of education equity and road safety awareness across nations.

Why This Cross-Border Ride Matters

Kenya’s higher education landscape remains deeply unequal. Though primary enrolment boasts figures above 90%, only around 53% of students ever enrol in secondary school, and even fewer transition to universities. Admission to public universities is fiercely competitive, with less than 30% of qualified high‐school graduates securing government-funded enrolment, entrenching barriers for students from low-income backgrounds.

KCA University’s VC & CEO Cycling Tour tackles this inequity and unlocks educational access for youth who would otherwise be shut out by financial constraints. This aligns with the United Nations SDG‑4 on Quality Education, which aims not just for school attendance, but inclusive and equitable access at all levels of learning.

Through investing in the future of students who would otherwise drop out or settle for lower options of study, these scholarships this initiative gives Kenyan youth a chance to become professionals, innovators, educators and community leaders and ultimately changes lives, one family uplifted, and one piece of the national dream of equitable opportunity realized. Beyond enrolment, access to higher education results in the transformation of lives and the attainment of a skilled national workforce and contribution to economic growth. Funding quality higher education is, therefore, an engine for social mobility.

In 2024, road carnage in Kenya reached alarming levels. According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), 4,748 people lost their lives to road accidents in 2024, an increase of 424 deaths from 2023. This underscores the urgency of raising public awareness and advocating for behavioural change. Pedestrians, motorcyclists, motorists and cyclists continue to bear the burden of these crashes, with motorcyclist fatalities alone rising to 4,042 in 2024, up from 3,714 in 2023.

KCA University’s involvement in road safety advocacy anchors action in research and evidence. The institution is set to commission a Research Center for Road Safety and Accident Surveillance, envisioned as a multidisciplinary hub that will unite academia, government agencies, industry stakeholders and civil society in a shared mission of solving the road carnage menace in Kenya. This center will gather and analyze crash data, map accident blackspots and generate evidence-backed recommendations to guide policy reforms and infrastructure planning. It will also serve as an incubator for innovation, piloting tech solutions like digital crash reporting systems, cyclist visibility tools and road‑user behaviour studies. Beyond offering scholarship opportunities, the cycling tour seeks to transform Kenya’s approach to road safety using data-driven and evidence-based measures while calling for better non-motorized transport infrastructure.

Be part of the impact.

1. Donate to the Cause
   You can ignite the higher education dreams of a student by sending your contribution via Paybill 4135397 (Account: YOUR NAME).
2. Join the Ride
   Cyclists of all levels are invited to join the ride on August 13^th from KCA University Main Campus in Ruaraka to Signature Mall, Mombasa Road. Register and be part of the inaugural international edition of the tour.
3. Spread the Word
   Can’t get on a bicycle or write us a cheque? No problem. You can share this story using the hashtag #VCCyclingTour and still be part of the impact.