The Kenyan Rally Driver Arap Merindich Who Became A Global Meme

He answered the phone and the first thing he said was, “Arap Marindich mwenyewe.” I could tell that he had already been inundated with calls and had grown accustomed to doing so with a distinct identify.

After his one-minute video in which he pretended to be a disgruntled rally driver went viral, Marindich became in high demand both in Kenya and internationally. Since since, he has kept netizens smiling and busy with humorous gags.

His surroundings give the impression that he is in a busy area because there are loud matatu honks and muttering that are too loud to understand. “Ngoja kidogo tu,” Marindich advises as he finds a less boisterous location.

He says “sasa nimeweka breki” while seated on a boda boda (which translates to now I can talk).

In the footage that gave rise to the now-famous memes, Marindich, who had a dusty face, was shown pretending to be a rally driver and describing how intense the event was. His “navigator,” whom he identified as Kaptula but calls just “Tula,” was with him.

The pair described how the terrain was difficult and how they ended up in a thicket while attempting to navigate the map, which they claim was difficult to comprehend, while speaking in their native Kalenjin dialect.

The race was entertaining, but sadly we got lost in the woods. Take a look at these branches that got lodged inside our car; we almost turned over. Marindich added in part of the interview, “All we could see were white drivers passing us by in the bush.

Since then, screenshots from the popular video have been utilized in memes; this is perhaps the only Kenyan meme to gain international notoriety.
Marindich discusses the video and other details about “the man behind the popular meme” in an exclusive interview with Citizen Digital.

Kennedy Kipkorir Lang’at is revealed to be his real name in the opening statement, albeit he prefers to go by Marindich in memory of his late grandpa.

He reveals that it is common practice in the Kalenjin community to inherit a grandfather’s name after their passing.

“Lakini tusitumie Kennedy, mimi ni Marindich mwenyewe, hiyo ndio natumia, (But let’ s not use Kennedy, I prefer Marindich),” he insists.