KAKAMEGA, Kenya — A group of fans are placing bets on the sidelines ahead of the big match. It’s a sunny Saturday morning, perfect weather for the main event at Mukumu Mwithanzi, one of the sacred bullrings in Kakamega, western Kenya. Hundreds of fans are searching for the best vantage points to watch the highly anticipated showdown between local champion Dragon and his opponent White.
The crowd goes wild as the dragon, escorted by its handlers, enters the grounds in a grand procession, traditional Iskuti drummers enthusiastically beat the drums to great heights, and finally, surrounded by handlers and excited fans, the two bulls lock horns.
Evans Chris Szyczyk/Semaphore
The ancient tradition of bullfighting among the Abaluya people of western Kenya lives on in modern times. The fights, which continue until one bull escapes, are beginning to attract attention as a tourist attraction. Some travel agencies now include bullfighting in tour packages in western Kenya, and online platforms such as Bullfighting TV have built communities of fans.
But experts and locals say policymakers have so far not done enough, despite the potential benefits to the local economy and tourism. The sport’s mainstreaming has also been delayed in part by animal rights groups, who have repeatedly fought to stop large-scale bullfighting events in the capital, Nairobi. Brian Njioka, a travel agent who offers bullfighting tours, told Semaphore Africa that western Kenya has several attractions, such as Lake Victoria in Kisumu, that with the right support could open up new markets for Kenya’s tourism sector.
