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| Tina Khavesa, roller skating coach, attends to one of the budding skaters in Mutkos Club. Roller skating is gradually gaining popularity amongst Nairobi residents. Photo: Pius Maundu |
Worse still, two months before she finally moved in, Ochieng
suffered the shock of her lifetime after authorities bulldozed bungalows neighboring
her house in one night. Luckily, she had procured legitimate land that was not subject
to legal tussles with the Kenya Airports Authority. She finally moved in only
to start agonizing over the lack of social amenities in the new community. That
Syokimau lacked such facilities as sports grounds where her 8 years old
daughter would take part in physical activities further convinced Ochieng that
she could have hurriedly decided on Syokimau.
Does owning a home mean increased susceptibility to
frustrations and inconveniences? These worries would end with the discovery of Mutkos
Hitech Roller Skating Club, a budding roller-skating club in the neighboring
Mlolongo market.
Mutkos Hitech, a brainchild of Samuel Mutua, 30, began in
earnest in April 2012. “Before then, I used to practice in this ground with my
fiancée before people got interested and requesting for training and the use of
the facility. Around the same time, we acquired some roller skates and
protection gear from Francis Mutuku, a well-wisher who would later become the
manager of the club. This way, we were able to accommodate the first batch of
trainees. The rest is history,” offered Mutua.
Mutua is a seasoned roller skater who has continued to hone his
skills in skating since his childhood days in Umoja estate. “When I relocated
to Mlolongo, I brought with me this passion, and landed a suitable place for training,”
he explained, referring to the 4-kilometre truck lay by overlooking the factory
premises of Allpark Industries Limited, manufacturers of cartons and sacks, in
Mlolongo.
Barely a year later, Mutkos has flourished. Besides the
scores of excited skaters, children, teenagers and adults, rolling up and down the track, I
could easily tell of the high level of activity in this club from the scores of posh cars
parked alongside the extensive track. Starters and those
who were yet to muster the requisite balance enjoyed the full attention of the instructors.
Conspicuously, everyone taking part in the skating had protecting gear ranging
from helmets, reflective jackets, to knee and elbow guards. This prompted my
interest in knowing what it took to have the skating business rolling.
“Immediately we acquired the skating kits, we began thinking
business,” Mutua offered, adding that the need for management and instruction
came to the fore. “Luckily, we started
with our own. Mutuku’s three children became the first batch of trainees.
However, it did not take long before the crowds of spectators who milled along the
track every time we practiced translated into clients,” he added. “Today, we
are talking of over 200 regular clients, ranging from children to adults, both
men and women mainly from the neighboring Syokimau, Kitengela, Ellan Park, Easy
Park and Valley View estates.”
Outliers like Moses Njenga come from as far as Dagoretti for
very good reasons. “My plan is to take these skills to Dagoretti where I will
start training skating enthusiasts,” said Njenga, adding that such facilities
are lacking in that part of Nairobi.
Mutua went ahead enlisting the challenges associated with
the sudden business growth. Acquiring appropriate gear and the security of the
track were amongst the greatest challenges facing the club. Growth brought with
it the need for additional staff, according to Mutua. "We have two of our
coaches here today," he said, pointing at a muscular man whom he described as
Frank and a lady who I later learned to be Tina Khavesa. “Besides investing in more skating
shoes, and paying the coaches, we heavily prioritize on safety. From the nature
of this activity, it is imperative that we emphasize on personal protective
equipment and first aid kits,” he said.
That many enthusiasts of roller skating could have
difficulties affording their own skating shoes was anticipated during the
development of Mutkos according to Mutua. Here, one can lend a pair of high
quality skating shoes at only 200 shillings (USD 2) for two hours. Those with
their own skating shoes pay some minimal registration fee to enjoy the services
of the instructors and the facilities.
With such humble beginnings, one would easily excuse Mutkos
from giving back to the community. On the contrary, the club has a program of
incorporating children who are not able to raise the required amounts of money
to register. “We train them for free,” offered Mutua, adding that these
children must pay back by exhibiting high levels of discipline. “They should be
clean, courteous both here and back to their homes,” he added.
Thanks to this discipline, two of such beneficiaries, who
had dropped from school, recently found their way back, according to Khavesa.
“Such influences on these children make working here worthwhile,” she told me
before excusing herself and rolling back to the track to assist a middle-aged
woman with balancing on her skates.
“By taking part in
these activities, I feel that I am applying my skills and passion to meaningful
causes in the society,” Khavesa offered, when she came back from the track. By
this, I quickly remembered that she would be most suited to inform me on the
benefits of roller-skating. “Skating is an intensive physical activity and thus
helps in burning down body calories,” she offered. She went on justifying how
such activities as skating should be encouraged today owing to the tendency of
people to lead sedentary lifestyles. “With physical activities, one
significantly reduces the chances of suffering from life threatening disorders such
as obesity and cardiovascular diseases,” she added.
Khavesa went ahead explaining how roller-skating stood above
all other sporting and physical activities. The thrilling nature of the
activity makes very it interesting such that one would be involved willingly,
she offered narrowly missing comparing roller-skating with jogging. This
explains the irresistibility of roller-skating especially with youngsters that
Ochieng concurs. “Once she enrolled, my daughter has been quite energetic. She
seldom spends the weekends watching television or even playing video games. Over
the weekend, everything has to stop so that I drive her here to skate,” she
said, in a celebratory tone.
Brian Omondi, 10, a recent member of the skating club concurred
that roller skating is thrilling. “It feels close to riding a bike but it
causes more fun. You see, in skating, especially if you can balance, you feel
that you are on top of the world,” he said, before adding that he is thankful
to his parents for introducing him to skating. He expressed optimism that one
day he will be a skating champion.
With all these benefits of roller-skating, I had to inquire
whether the club will last at least long enough for more people to benefit. Mutua
was optimistic that the club would maneuver all the challenges such as the
dependability of the track. Meanwhile, they are in some agreement with the
local Mavoko Municipal Council to continue using the truck lay by for roller-skating.
The fruition of such endeavors will be a welcome move to the many skating
enthusiasts around Mlolongo. Meanwhile, Lorna Ochieng will keep frequenting Mutkos
Hitech Roller Skating Club every Sunday afternoon excited that she has
identified a way to keep her daughter engaged.
