Thousands of residents thronged Kisumu’s central business district on Saturday for the city’s first-ever post-Christmas car drifting extravaganza, the Kisumu Drift Showcase, as roaring engines and high-tech defensive driving took centre stage.
The high-octane motorsport spectacle drew massive crowds, many of whom urged the Kisumu County Government to institutionalise the event and stage it regularly, at least three times a year, citing its entertainment value and tourism potential.
Speaking during the event, Farida Salim, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Trade and Tourism, said the showcase marked Kisumu’s maiden drift event and was organised through a partnership between the Kisumu City Department of Trade and Tourism and Al-Husnain Motors.
Salim admitted the idea faced scepticism during its planning stages, noting that introducing drifting to Kisumu was a bold and uncertain venture. However, she said the overwhelming turnout and visible excitement among residents had vindicated the initiative.
“There was a lot of uncertainty when we were planning because we were venturing into something new. It is not easy to convince people, but the excitement we have seen today speaks for itself,” Salim said. “Going forward, we want to enhance this partnership, bring more partners on board, and make this an annual festival.”
She described car drifting as a new tourism product for Kisumu and revealed that the county is exploring additional adventure tourism offerings, including skydiving, following benchmarking visits to Diani. According to Salim, skydiving ranks high on Kisumu County’s tourism agenda in the coming year.
Renowned drifter Jin Lu, who thrilled the crowd with precision stunts and daring manoeuvres, thanked Kisumu residents for their enthusiastic support, saying the city had embraced motorsport with rare passion.
“We came here to show the people how crazy drifting and motorsport can be. I am happy to meet the people of Kisumu who have shown me immense support,” Jin Lu said, adding that the city should fully embrace the sport as many residents were experiencing drifting for the first time.
The event underscored Kisumu’s growing ambition to diversify its tourism portfolio and position itself as a hub for unique urban sporting and entertainment experiences.
