Ababu alters WRC Safari Rally committees

Phineas Kimathi

Phineas Kimathi, the CEO of the WRC Safari Rally, speaks during a press conference held at the Service Park in Naivasha on June 20, 2022.

Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Making the changes through a Kenya Gazette notice on Friday, Cabinet Secretary for Sports Ababu Namwamba said that members of both the Steering Committee and Organising Committee will serve one year starting January 4, this year
  • Namwamba will be the chairperson of the Steering Committee and will be deputised by the Principal Secretary for Sports Jonathan Mueke
  • Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) chairman Phineas Kimathi is the secretary of the Steering Committee that will also have several members

The government has reconstituted the World Rally Championships (WRC) Safari Rally Project administrative set up.

Making the changes through a Kenya Gazette notice on Friday, Cabinet Secretary for Sports Ababu Namwamba said that members of both the Steering Committee and Organising Committee will serve one year starting January 4, this year.

This year’s Safari Rally will be staged from June 22 to 25 in Naivasha.Namwamba will be the chairperson of the Steering Committee and will be deputised by the Principal Secretary for Sports Jonathan Mueke.

Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) chairman Phineas Kimathi is the secretary of the Steering Committee that will also have several members.

They are the Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and the Arts Ismail Maalim Madey, KMSF director Surinder Thatthi and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Chief Executive Officer Paul Russo.

The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage and the Council of Governors will also have members in the Steering Committee.Rally driver Carl “Flash” Tundo will chair the Organising Committee and will be deputised by Brian Mutembei.

The Sports Fund Arts and Social Development Fund CEO Hellen Shiri is the event’s secretary while Jagjett Patter comes in as the event’s director.

Kimathi, who was previously the Chairman and CEO will be a member in the Organising Committee that will see National Youth Service, Council of Governors, Ministry of Roads and Transport and Ministry of Interior provide representatives.

Others members to the Organising Committee are Youth Representative Hudson Ojiambo, Antony Wanjohi Kanyi, Kiki Christopher, Robert Onyonka, Nyatichi Nyasani, Muema Muindi, Gurdeep Singh Panesar and Dennis Mondet.Namwamba said that the functions of the Steering Committee will be to offer policy guidance and organisational framework meeting international standards for hosting the WRC.

He explained that the chairperson of each committee will chair the meetings of the committee and in their absence, the vice-chairperson will chair.

“In the absence of both, the members present shall elect a member of the committee to chair the meeting,” said Namwamba, adding that he will soon constitute a secretariat to the WRC Safari Rally in due course.