Some changes made to this year’s Safari Rally route
WRC Safari Rally Local Organising Committee chairman Carl Tundo after a familiarisation tour of the Safari Rally headquarters at MISC, Kasarani on February 20, 2023. He is flanked by his deputy Brian Mutembei (left) and Steering Committee secretary Phineas Kimathi (right).
What you need to know:
- Kenya returned to the WRC two years ago after a 19-year absence.
- Last year’s Safari was won by Finland’s Kalle Rovanpera of Toyota Gazoo Racing Team who went on to become the youngest world rally champion at 22 years of age.
Minor changes have been made to this year’s World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally route.
The motorcar race run on dirt roads, is the seventh leg of the WRC, and will be staged from June 22 to 25 in Naivasha.
WRC Safari Rally Clerk of Course, Gurvir Bhabra said that the 12 kilometres stage at Narasha has been altered and rerouted to Malewa after there was a disagreement with the local area people.
Bhabra said that a second stage, the Kedong to Geothermal run that covers 12km has also been rerouted to rougher grounds, avoiding fesh-fesh that caused havoc albeit in a spectacular way last year.
“Even though Narasha is ideal, we thought it wise to return to Malewa because we don’t want to take chances again with the hostilities experienced last time.
“We have tried to avoid the soft and slippery ground in the Kedong area,” said Bhabra.
He said they have already submitted the proposed itinerary to WRC with the rest of the route largely intact.
Bhavra was speaking after members of the newly constituted WRC Safari Rally Project Steering Committee and Local Organising Committee made a familiarisation tour of the event’s office at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on Tuesday.
Present were LOC chairman Carl “Flash” Tundo and his deputy Brian Mutembei and the Steering Committee secretary Phineas Kimathi, who is also the Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) chairman.
“I felt it prudent to bring my new members of the team here so that the WRC team can guide us and brief us on what they have been doing, what equipment they have and what they need to take the event forward,” said Tundo.
The rally driver said they will only make changes if they are necessary, noting that the mandate given to them by the Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba is to see how they can cut costs.
“We are looking for good collaboration from everyone so as to make this event that is part of our national heritage a huge success,” said Tundo.
“There is a lot we need to understand before we can make decisions.”
Kimathi, who has been the event’s LOC chairman and CEO since 2017, congratulated the new team and pledged his support to ensure that this year’s Safari Rally performs better than the last two editions.
“There is no big change since nothing stopped and the secretariat is functional. We are working and responding to correspondents from WRC, FIA and the event’s promoter. T.here is no gap,” said Kimathi.
Kenya returned to the WRC two years ago after a 19-year absence.
Last year’s Safari was won by Finland’s Kalle Rovanpera of Toyota Gazoo Racing Team who went on to become the youngest world rally champion at 22 years of age.
