#Tufikesalama The WRC Safari Rally Call to Safety

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 18 – As the days to the WRC Safari Rally nears and the dream of Kenya hosting the world to a world class rally in Africa, a group of young Kenyan have been hard at work to ensure that the country have a safe and successful event.

Their vision cropped up after a series of Safety trainings with FIA representatives. The cause of their worry was driver and spectator safety.

Under the watchful eye of the WRC Safari Rally Chief of Safety Norris Ongalo, the group held numerous consultative meetings trying to arrive at the right name that would pass on the correct message without losing its meaning through translation.

The final decision was Tufike Salama.

Capital FM Sports got an exclusive interview to find out more about the campaign and the essence behind it. John Mureithi one of the team members said “#TufikeSalama is more than just a hashtag. It’s a journey that has lasted for over two years. Their vision is to make Kenyan roads and events return to a modicum of sanity and most importantly save lives!”

The phrase, as known by Kenyans, means “let us all, get home safe” A very apt reminder, as the world was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic on the year the Safari Rally was meant to return to Kenya in 2020 but it is finally happening.

Sandra Lasoi one of the members of the group said; “We are motorsport volunteers and have soldiered on, against all the odds, to launch a road safety initiative guided by Norris Ongalo the Head of Safety WRC Safari Rally and the FIA requirement that every rally requires a safety campaign behind it,” she said.

She went on to say that “We want to make people think about their own safety and the safety of others by a simple change of mindset. The mindset is that pause of reality: that every single pedestrian, cyclist, driver, spectator, marshal is the equivalent to your brother; your sister; your uncle; your mother, in other words your family. And if we treat every person with the compassion and respect of family, maybe, just maybe, we can all get home safely to continue to enjoy our family and friends.”

Mutuma Marimba one of the group members said; “The ethos of #TufikeSalama is to make that realization a reality and make society as a whole take responsibility of themselves as individuals making better choices on or off the road and doing so safely.”

The group Graphic designer Edwin Mutuma AKA GP has designed numerous posters that have been used in the Safety book for the WRC Safari Rally Candidate Event in 2019 and the 2021 WRC Safari Rally. GP as he is better known said;

“You will see more of these posters on social media, in your Rally Fans groups, on billboards etc. as we draw closer to the WRC Safari Rally. My role is to bring the ideas of the group to life through pictures and words.”

He went to mention the entire group “Former Oil Libya Navigator turn WRC Safari Rally Chief Safety Officer from Rally Navigator Linnet Ayuko, Suleiman M. Muchina, Mutuma Marimba, Kariba, Edwin Mutuma and Sandra Lasoi.”

Ongalo the chief Safety Officer for the WRC Safari Rally said; “Despite the provisions being put into place; It is very important to note that at this time we have not received any indication that spectators will be allowed into the spectator areas as we are really trying to observe the COVID 19 protocols that have been set up by the Ministry of Health.”

“In the event that Rally fans are allowed, we will be ready; but for now, we are yet to find out. With this in mind, #TufikeSalama is not just about the Rally fans, it’s about every single road user, from the pedestrian to the cyclist, the boda boda rider to the rally driver,” he added.

“The road is there for all of us and if we are patient, courteous and obey the traffic rules, stay within the speed limits; we will have a not just one; but three successful rallies and perhaps have the WRC Safari rally as a permanent fixture on the WRCS calendar.”

Norris went on to say; “I’d like every Kenyan to own #Tufikesalama. Actually, anyone can carry this same narrative back to their homes so that we can make our roads safer not just during rally time; but every day.”

“Bringing it back home; id like us to show the world that we can be responsible on the road. Not trying to race with or overtake the rally cars during their ‘transport sections’ by being courteous and giving way to the rally cars and crews, by not driving under the influence of anything that might impair our judgement and not sneaking into rally routes. A successful Rally is a safe Rally.”