Kenyan biker Mustapha Konvict recently completed a 15,600-kilometre motorcycle journey across nine African countries under the banner One People, One Africa.
The trip was a test of endurance and also a real-time case study of the continent’s integration challenges and opportunities.
Mustapha Konvict flagged off the journey on August 30, 2025, completing the journey in just eight days, by September 6, 2025.
One of the strongest lessons from the ride came at the border posts. In Zimbabwe, a modern clearance system allowed Konvict to cross into South Africa in just five minutes using digital QR codes. In Zambia, the same process took nine hours.
The contrast is striking. Africa already has the tools for efficient, seamless movement. What is missing is the consistency to implement them across all borders.
If one state can do it, others can, too, and the direction forward is clear: harmonise border systems and processes and reduce bureaucracy.
The financial reality of the journey reveals the true costs of mobility on the continent. Konvict budgeted KSh 230,000, with fuel consuming the largest share.
Accommodation, food, and border fees added to the tally, and a fraudulent customs agent in Zambia cost him even more. In Zambia, he was stranded for nine hours in bureaucratic delays.
The contrast tells its own story. Despite these setbacks, his costs were eased by fellow bikers who offered meals, lodging, and safe passage.
Infrastructure told its own story. A 650-kilometre stretch between Chivhu and Polokwane was riddled with construction detours. In Tanzania, 440 kilometres of relentless rain turned the ride into a test of sheer endurance.
Beyond roads and borders, Konvict’s mission was rooted in people. He visited orphanages, raised funds for children’s homes, and connected with communities across the countries he crossed. His experience shows how travel can become a tool for cultural exchange and charity, rather than just leisure.
Konvict once survived a severe motorcycle crash that left him in intensive care. To return to the road for 15,600 kilometres demonstrates resilience and determination.
Konvict is already planning his next challenge—riding from Kenya to Egypt via Sudan. A direct corridor connecting East and North Africa. That journey, if realised, will connect East Africa to North Africa in a single corridor—something policymakers have long spoken about but rarely acted upon.