Written by We lost the opportunity to host the World Rally Championship in 2002 when the international event was banned in Kenya. HE Uhuru promised to return Kenya to the WRC Calendar and he commenced the push to have the event come back.
Through his administration’s intervention and putting things in line according to the guidelines given by the Motorsport body FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), Kenya worked tirelessly and got the green light to host the WRC Safari Rally, and we were added to the WRC Calendar for 6 years (From 2021 to 2026). I had the opportunity to cover the event under PDU (Presidential Delivery Unit) in 2021 and 2022 and the government then gave 100% support for the event to the amazement of the WRC organisation.
We covered the preparation before the event, the event and the post-event analysis giving Kenyans the adrenalin stories behind the WRC Safari Rally. Come 2023, the event received minimal attention from the government, and this year the event has received zero publicity and hype casting doubts on the regime’s interest in the event not forgetting that this global Motorsport event happens in only 13 countries globally and Kenya stands out as the only host of the event in Africa with over 2 billion people watching live worldwide.
Currently, the WRC Safari Rally is in Limbo as confusion rocks the event from a lack of government support for the event, lack of publicity from the Ministry of Sports and the politics within which has led to the resignation of the event Director Jim Kahumbura. As we speak, the police officers who provided security during the 2023 WRC Safari Rally have not been paid and word has it that some of them have refused to offer security this year pro bono. Don’t forget that this is an event that comes with a lot of conditions on security for both the drivers and spectators.
There is also the issue of Kenya missing out on the deadline on the marking of the routes ahead of recce by foreign drivers representing major rally cars like Toyota Gazoo, Hyundai and Ford which is supposed to happen days to the main event. The excuse by the route markers is that there was not enough support for logistics from the government of the day. Sad and shameful.
I won’t lie to you, the event will be one this Thursday since the calendar can’t be altered, I’m not sure about 2025 because FIA can decide to cancel the Kenyan circuit but I’m 98% sure we won’t be renewed after 2026 and the government is to blame. As a lover of Motorsport, I curse the day this regime came to power and Ababu Namwamba was nominated, appointed and sworn in as CS sports. We were chosen among the few but we’ve decided to urinate on the one in a million opportunity.