John Waliaula was recently crowned as William Lawson’s Kenya’s Next Highlander. Waliaula completed the obstacle course, beating 49 other highlanders to secure the title. As champion, Waliaula walked away with Ksh. 500,000 cash prize and a trip to Scotland worth Ksh. 500,000.
The title was aggressively contested by Alfred Onyango, who came in second, and Stephen crowns Wamalwa, who came in third.
For the last two months, William Lawson’s has been on the hunt to find the boldest, most rugged, unconventional man or woman, who defies the norm and lives life on his or her terms.
Finalists had to compete through group and individual highlander challenges such as barreling, caber toss, barrel race, tug of war and a complex obstacle course to win. The event also featured unconventional activities where spectators showcased their highlander attitude to win instant prizes. Social media personality Amber Ray and comedian Eric Omondi revealed the winners and crowned Kenya’s Next Highlander. Khaligraph Jones completed the event with a live performance kicking off the after-party.
Speaking after his win, John Waliaula said, “I feel great! I was so determined to take this title home and I came here today focused on lifting this axe as Kenya’s Next Highlander. The competition was tough, but I pushed myself to win it. It has been an amazing experience and I can’t wait for the trip to Scotland.”
On his part, John Mwangi, Bacardi customer marketing manager for East Africa said, “It has been a gruelling two months of recruiting highlanders through pre-qualifier events held in various outlets. Our search for Kenya’s Next Highlander has shown us that Kenya is full of highlanders, people who are bold, daring and live life on their terms. Today we have seen 50 highlander men and women show their grit for a shot at the title. William Lawson’s is proud to name John Waliaula as Kenya’s Next Highlander.”
William Lawson’s is one of the fastest-growing Scotch brands in the world. It is a classic blended scotch whisky with a sweet and medium-bodied style.