Final touches as Kenya readies to host world’s top drivers in WRC Safari Rally

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 27 – As the countdown to the WRC Safari Rally begins to gather momentum, preparations are at homestretch to ensure that all will be ready in time for the global event scheduled to run from June 24-27 on Kenyan soil.

The Safari Rally is scheduled for the June 24 through to June 27.

WRC Safari Rally Head of Safety Norris Ongallo spent the better part of last week doing last minute training of the security agents who will be joining the Marshalls team.

The team includes members of the disciplined forces selected from the Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU), Regular Police, General Service Unite (GSU), Anti-Stock Theft unit and Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) Rangers.

Norris said that the teams are set to be deployed a few days ahead of the WRC Safari rally Recce dates that are set for June 21 and 22.

“This week, we will be training National Youth Service Marshalls who will be integrated into the initial civilian marshals who manned the different posts and boxes during the Africa Rally Championship Rally (ARC Rally) that took place last month,” the WRC Head of Safety added.

Dash Patel, who is in charge of the Technical Intervention Vehicles (TIV), is set to conduct a two-day refresher course on May 29 and May 30 as they test the new ‘Halmatro” recovery equipment that came in on May 22.

The TIV are amongst the first responders in the event of an accident or incident and the equipment will be used for extrication of the rally crew in the event of an accident.

The Rally’s Chief Scrutineer Musa Locho said that he too has received the equipment that his team needs and are in Naivasha ensuring that everything works and is ready ahead of the opening of the service park.

“We have received special tools like Pop off testing machines, electronic mobile weighing pads, special calipers for measuring the cars wheel base,” Musa told Capital Sport.

The Safari Rally’s Chief Media Officer Elias Makori alongside his deputy Peter Njenga have taken the Media through the organization of the rally, ensuring that the media have not been left in the dark.

“The well-informed team has been responsible for the exciting and informative pieces that have been in the newspapers, on TV Screens, Radio, on social media and the talk of rally group as we build up to the rally,” Makori said.

Dr. Raj Jutley, who is the Chief Medical Officer has been running a tight ship in between training the different teams; in order to ensure that everyone is up to speed with the basic First Aid and the operations of the Medical team throughout the rally.

 As we edge closer to the June 23, when the WRC Safari Rally is expected to zoom off; Capital Sports will be on ground to ensure that you are the first to know what is happening as it happens.