Hello! Safaricom boosts young stars
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa makes his address during the joint sponsorship launch of Safaricom PLC and Kenya Airways towards WRC Safari Rally at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on June 17, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa announced that Safaricom will sponsor four young drivers — McRae Kimathi, Jeremy Wahome, Hamza Anwar and Maxine Wahome — in a Sh25 million package, the biggest in rallying since the BAT days for individual drivers in the 1990s
- She said Kenya is thinking of hosting the Formula One one day and also developing e-sports
Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed had the ride of her life when she “co-drove” Jeremy Wahome in a Ford Fiesta Rally 3 car around the one kilometre-long Kasarani Stadium outer perimeter circuit during the unveiling of the Safaricom/Kenya Airways WRC Safari Rally team.
She emerged out of the car cool composed. “I felt safe with him,” she said at the end of a day full of glamour, glitz and pomp.
This demo involving a top government official riding in a rally car marked the climax of the sponsorship presentation when the telco chief executive officer Peter Ndegwa announced that Safaricom will sponsor four young drivers — McRae Kimathi, Jeremy Wahome, Hamza Anwar and Mazine Wahome — in a Sh25 million package, the biggest in rallying since the BAT days for individual drivers in the 1990s.
This is part of over Sh1 billion Safaricom has spent on sports development in many sporting activities since its inception 21 years ago including rugby and athletics.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed enjoys action during the joint sponsorship launch of Safaricom PLC and Kenya Airways towards WRC Safari Rally at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on June 17, 2022.
Safaricom has always been there to also facilitate Team Kenya in international sporting events including the Olympics.
“Thank you for the investment that you've been making in the last two years, and we hope you will continue making in the next five,” said Mohamed, referring to the Safari Rally's confirmed presence in the FIA World Rally Championship circuit as negotiated by President Uhuru Kenyatta last year.
“We are committed as a government to working with the private sector in sports development, and talent development as well. I said this before, when we were welcoming the corporates that our expectation as a government is, these young people, as they move forward, need much more sponsorship than we can afford, and we are hoping that the private sector will come in,” she said.
She said Kenya is thinking of hosting the Formula One one day and also developing e-sports.
Young rally driver Jeremy Wahome drives through during the joint sponsorship launch of Safaricom PLC and Kenya Airways towards WRC Safari Rally at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on June 17, 2022.
Ndegwa said he is convinced that rallying is the number one sport in Kenya, and as they were growing up they knew only two popular sporting events, the Safari Rally and derby matches between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards.
“I wish four drivers McRae, Hamza, Jeremiah and Maxine the very best and I really hope that all of you will be able to finish but also you'll be able to achieve whatever missions you have. The mission can be different. Remain focused on what you feel is the achievement you want to hit,” he said.
He added that Safaricom has rolled out the 5G network which will ease communication in Naivasha, confirming that over 20,000 people used Safaricom in Naivasha area during the Safari last year.
The CEO of the WRC Safari Rally Phineas Kimathi, in welcoming the CS and Ndegwa, said the Safari was the most-watched rally in the WRC circuit last year, and traffic challenges witnessed last year have been addressed after supermarket chain Quickmart said they would put up mobile stores around rally routes as they announced a Sh10 million sponsorship for the FIA Rally Star Programme.
Anwar thanked Safaricom for the sponsorship package and hopes to repay the company in kind by performing better in the Safari.