Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has expressed her satisfaction at organisational progress as Kenya prepares to celebrate the return of the Safari Rally to the World Rally Championship (WRC).
The Safari Rally was listed among the 14 rounds of the WRC but the eagerly-awaited comeback was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It was initially scheduled to run from July 16 to 19 around Nairobi and Naivasha.
The CS led a team of senior Safari Rally officials on a special visit to the Safari Rally’s Service Park in Naivasha on Friday to assess progress of the works.
“In fact we are ready to hold the Safari Rally even if it has been postponed,” the CS said in an interview broadcast live on NTV’s sports and entertainment show NTV Sasa on Friday.
“I’m very happy with the preparations here and I’d like to thank all those involved.
“I will be back to assess the progress but I’m confident they will complete the work within the stipulated time.”
HEART OF RALLY
The Service Park will be the heart of the rally, from where the competition will start on a super special stage, and where the rally’s nerve centre will be based for the duration of the event.
“Even if we were told that the rally would be in September, we would be ready,” Amina added, noting that the competition’s hardware will be on the ground at least one month ahead of the fresh date of the Safari Rally, adding that officials of the world motorsports governing body, FIA, have confidence in the organising team.
She noted that the Safari Rally is part of the Kenyan heritage adding that “it’s a great joy to see the competition back to the global circuit in our lifetime.”
Phineas Kimathi, the WRC Safari Rally’s Chief Executive Officer and Event Director Jim Kahumbura, along with the Clerk of the Course Gurvir Bhabra led other senior officials in Friday's site visit.
“We want to keep the preparations on the move although the WRC event will not be held till next July 2021 if all goes well,” Bhabra told Nation Sport.
“We have released most of the documentation while rest should be out soon. The work is being done by team of specialists.
“It was good to have the CS Amina Mohamed with Safari Rally CEO, Phineas Kimathi on site to see the latest development,’’ Bhabra added.
Kimathi agreed that they will keep the momentum on throughout.
“We are working under the pretext that Kenya’s major event is going to be held in July, although we are aware of the difficulties.
“By doing so, we will get everything in its place hoping the Safari Rally will be held next year.
“My team is fully committed at trying to make sure we are all together in our plans,’’ Kimathi told Nation Sport.
HEAVY MACHINERY
The CS had a feel of the heavy machinery working on site at the Naivasha Service Park.
Other senior ministry and rally officials at Friday’s site visit included Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Sports Hassan Noor, Kimanthi Maingi (Steering Committee Member), Lilian Ajuoga (Senior Warden Hells at Gate National Park), Anwar Sidi (Media Safety and Route Liason), Julius Kabiru (Security), George Mwangi (Deputy Clerk of the Course), Nazir Yakub (Deputy Clerk of the Course), Norris Ongalo (Safety) and Antony Gatei (Service Park Manager)
Kimathi confirmed that the World Championship Rally Commission will meet in August to determine the dates of next year’s Safari which like many others in the WRC have either been cancelled or postponed to later dates following the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the Safari might retain the July date next year but the event has already been confirmed in the 2021 calendar.
