Winnie "Mashan" Wandiga joined Dominion Cycling Club for the Kigali Charity Ride, running her own KSh 40,000 fundraiser alongside the club’s KSh 1 million goal.
Quick Summary: Kenyan cyclist Winnie Mashan is participating in the Ride to Kigali Charity Ride 2025 with Dominion Cycling Club, embarking on an epic nearly 1,000km journey from Ngong to Kigali. The ambitious three-country expedition sees Winnie targeting KSh 40,000 in donations to support her cycling tour, alongside the club's KSh 1 million fundraising goal to support para-cycling inclusion initiatives.
When the Dominion Cycling Club and Kenya Para-Cycling Club launched the Ride to Kigali Charity Ride on September 19, one of the most determined riders was Winnie Wandiga, known to her supporters online as Winnie Mashan.
The ambitious 984-kilometer route connects Kenya with Rwanda, beginning in Ngong and passing through Narok, Kisii, Isebania, Tanzania's Mwanza, before crossing into Rwanda and finishing in Kigali.
Under the theme Cycling for Inclusion, the event champions para-cycling and encourages widespread community involvement.
Dominion Cycling Club aims to raise KSh 1 million to purchase bicycles for visually impaired persons. At the same time, Winnie ran a separate personal campaign, targeting KSh 40,000 to help finance her cycling tour.
On Instagram, Mashan has been sharing updates from the journey, expressing gratitude for the opportunity while offering honest reflections about the ride's pain and unpredictability.
On Day 1, the group rode from Ngong to Narok, with Winnie calling it "the easy day," though it still left her exhausted. She explained that the scenic Rift Valley views made up for the struggle and reminded her why she rides.
Day 2 stretched from Narok to Kisii town, covering 160 km through challenging hilly terrain that forced them to abandon their original plan of reaching Isebania. The team rested in Kisii instead.
On Day 3, the team rode from Kisii to Isebania (at least 89 km) before crossing into Tanzania.
Mashan did not post updates after this until they reached Rwanda, later explaining that network issues, not mechanical problems, were to blame.
As of the morning of the 24th, the team appears to have crossed into Rwanda earlier than expected: around 9 a.m., Mashan posted that they had reached Kayonza, with only 65 km left.
The group is set to participate in the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, notably Africa's first, before returning to Kenya by bus on September 29th.
The Dominion team arrived in Kigali on September 24, a day earlier than expected. By then, they had ridden almost 1,000 kilometers across three countries, carrying with them not just bicycles but a message of inclusion.
For Winnie, the ride is personal proof that Kenyan cyclists, women included, can take on endurance events of international scale. For the club, it is a statement that sport can touch lives far beyond the riders themselves.
As the journey continues, their progress is already inspiring communities along the route and highlighting how cycling can unite people across borders.
"To my supporters, may your pockets never run dry."
Winnie Wandiga, reflecting on Day 3 of the ride
The Ride to Kigali Charity Ride 2025 represents a powerful demonstration of how cycling can bridge communities, countries, and causes while creating meaningful change for para-cycling inclusion across East Africa.
To stay in the know and take part in similar rides, visit our upcoming cycling events page
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