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Two girls from Ronald Ngala Memorial Secondary school in Malindi Sub County, Kilifi County have once again demonstrated the rich talent found in Kenya, affirming the country’s stature as the Silicon Savannah.

The duo, Liz Maua and Mariam Sidi, have designed a water bicycle which they say if adopted, will help in the battle against environmental degradation and slow down the effect of climate change.  

The invention known as Hydro Rider is made up of a bicycle frame and pedals mounted on floaters made from jerricans.

“This is basically a road bicycle that has been modified and improvised in such a way that it can float on water,” Sidi says, noting that the frame has been obtained from a bicycle while metals have been joined to make the propeller and the blades.

The project, she says, can help in ridding the marine ecosystem of pollution and as a means of transport across the creeks.

The inventors said the Rider, which can carry 199.8 kilogrammes, was tested in different parts of the beach including Mida creek and they found it effective. It rides on the buoyancy of the jerrycans to float and can be peddled forward and backwards.

“We used it on a nearby beach and it was very efficient. Besides the environmental benefits, it is also a fun and refreshing activity,” Maua said.

“The pedaling will initiate movement in the propeller which has the blades allowing the bike to move forward or backward depending on how you pedal.”

Maua added that they put the project to test at the Mida creek, adding that “it can accommodate more than two passengers at one time.

The Rider however, cannot be operated in high tides or in the open sea in its current form as it is not sturdy enough to cope such pressure. They are, therefore, seeking financial backing from the government and other entities to revamp the project and ultimately realise their dream of producing in mass.

There is a need, they said, to tame the mounting disposal of plastic into the ocean and reduce the risks that face marine life.