The Hidden Treasures of Marsabit 

It was a hot afternoon. Dad was driving with mum by his side, and my cousin Kisa and I were in the back seat. We were travelling back home from our Marsabit road trip.  

The murram road was rocky and dusty making the vehicle move at a snail’s pace and we were dozing off. 

BOOM! 

Suddenly, a strange noise that turned into a loud flapping sound aroused us.  

Oh no! It was a flat tire. “Ok Kioko and Kisa, we all need to stand outside so that dad can fix the flat tire,” mum instructed.  

As we stood outside, the view of the sun setting over Lake Turkana was beautiful. It looked like the sun was touching the lake and the sky was a symphony of colours. 

“The Jade Sea,” I mused. “Oh yes Kioko, Lake Turkana is also called the Jade Sea because of its blue and green colour,” mum explained. 

“I can see the moon!” Kisa shouted pointing at the now darkening sky. 

“I can see a star!” I shouted jumping from where I was squatting. 

“Let’s point out all the stars we see,” Kisa said. 

The stars were not so clear, but the darker it became the more stars we saw. They were more than what I had ever seen in the city.  

As we stood, we reminisced about our trip. 

“I will miss the cold juice from the Cold Drink Hotel,” I said remembering how refreshing it was during the scorching hot Marsabit afternoons. 

“Especially when we went trekking in the forest and at Mount Kulal to get a glimpse of El Kajarta Gorge,” Kisa added. 

“Do you remember the fun fact on what a gorge is?” Mum asked. 

“Yes, it’s like a valley that is between hills or mountains,” I answered.   

“Correct!” Mum exclaimed. She continued to recap that the El Kajarta Gorge was formed by volcanic activity, and it divides Mount Kulal.  

“Marsabit is also home to the Koobi Fora, another unique feature, want me to tell you about it?” Mum asked. 

“Yes, yes!” Kisa and I shouted gleefully.  

“Ok settle down,” mum laughingly said. 

“The Koobi Fora is named after the Gabbra Koobi Fora plant that is found in the region,” she began.  

“Over 200 early human and animal skulls were at the Koobi Fora, making it the site with the most fossils ever to be discovered in the world,” she continued. 

“What is a fossil?” Kisa asked.  

“I think I know what fossils are.” I said, as I proceeded to explain to Kisa and mother.  

“They are the remains of living things like plants or animals that once existed. Their bodies have been buried over thousands of years in the sand and mud, under ancient rivers, lakes, and seas.”  

“Correct!”  said my mother with a grin on her face.  

“The fossils here are in a museum at Koobi Fora, but there was one very special one discovered by Bernard Ngeneo and that one is at the Nairobi National Museum.  

It has a rather difficult name, Homo Rudolfensis skull.” 

“Ok guys the car is fixed.” Dad announced ushering us to the car. 

As we drove off into the silent night, I looked out of my window and thought of all the treasures of Marsabit. 

Hmm, I wondered if there were still others that lay undiscovered in this amazing county.