A FORMER Hounslow cab driver is trekking 1,400km across his native Kenya to spread the message of peace and raise funds for a new school.
Jaffer Isaak, of Standard Road, Hounslow, is heading from Mombasa in the south of the country to his home town of Moyale in the far north.
He set off on May 11 and hopes to complete the epic journey in two months.
Even the recent horror of a bomb blast on Monday (May 28) in the capital Nairobi, where he is due to arrive shortly, which injured 33 people could not sway him. The explosion is believed to be the latest in a series of revenge attacks by al-Shabab after Kenya sent troops to Somalia.
Mr Isaak said he planned to continue his mission despite police advice not to enter the city.
The 38-year-old father-of-three ran Hounslow taxi firm J&Z Executive Travel before sensationally quitting with his family to join the Kenyan presidential race last year.
He pulled out of the battle late last year, claiming he had no chance due to corruption, but plans to stand again in the 2018 election.
He is determined to heal divisions between communities in the deeply divided country, which saw violent clashes in Moyale claim dozens of lives at the turn of the year.
"I'm educating people about the importance of voting and calling for an end to the killing," he said.
"The support I've had along the route has been incredible. It's been difficult leaving my family but this is something I felt I had to do."
Along the route, Mr Isaak has been handing out political flyers and talking to people about the need for peace.
He claims to have already persuaded 1.2 million Kenyans to sign his book calling for peace in their country and hopes to boost that total to 2.5 million by the time he reaches Moyale.
However, he says the trip has put him and his family at risk because those in power are not happy.
"People have broken into my house, my family (who are temporarily living in Kenya during his trek) have received death threats and my escort car was hit by a truck, which we think was foul play," he told the Chronicle.
"Powerful people don't want the poor in Kenya, where 60 per cent of citizens don't have electricity or water, to unite."
Mr Isaak came up with the idea for his epic walk after fierce fighting between different communities in Moyale at the turn of the year left dozens dead and many more injured.
He was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's 400km 'salt march' across India in protest at British colonial rule.
As well as spreading his message of peace, he hopes to raise funds to rebuild Funanyatta Primary School, which was destroyed in the tribal clashes.
