Rally dignitaries’ cars undergo inspection
Toyota Kenya's Sales and Planning coordinator Rayo Hasegawa (left) WRC Safari Rally CEO Phineas Kimathi and Toyota Kenya's Sales and Product Trainer pose for photos at Kasarani on June 11, 2021 after handing over the Toyota Hilux pickups which will be used as the route opening and route safety cars during the Safari Rally.
What you need to know:
- For decades, the AA chairman was involved in organising the Safari. The President of the country is the Patron of the iconic rally.
More than 300 car hire vehicles procured for the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally are undergoing inspection by the Automobile Association of Kenya (AA) experts at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
This is meant to ensure the safety of officers who will preside over the WRC event scheduled for June 23-27.
The vehicles include top-of-the range limousines for VVIP dignitaries from abroad such as the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) President Jean Todt and his guests. Safety marshals have been assigned off road Land Cruisers while officials will be chauffeured in all-terrain Prados, said WRC head of transport Patrick Opembe.
One of the AA inspectors David Macharia said they are checking the vehicles roadworthiness and will pay attention to the braking system, tyres threads, headlights, wipers and high mileage.
“Each vehicle will be issued with workshop tickets of which the owners must fix all the defects and parts before returning them for re- inspection in time for the start of the Safari Week from June 19,” said Opembe.
He said this exercise is in line with the FIA requirements.
Opembe does not envisage any challenges once the inspections are done, as together with his team they have already mapped the entire route where they will deploy all individual teams and the media.
The AA was responsible for the actualisation of the Safari Rally proposal in 1953 when the event founder Eric Cecil mooted the idea of a long distance event to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of England whose father, the king, had passed on the previous year while she was on holiday in Kenya.
The AA had in 1947 created a Competition Committee within its arm to manage motorsport. This continued until 2001 when it advised the motorsport fraternity to start its own organisation for it to concentrate in its core business of serving the general motoring members.
For decades, the AA chairman was involved in organising the Safari. The President of the country is the Patron of the iconic rally.
The AA is recognised by the FIA to handle mobility matters, giving safety priority, a subject dear to Jean in his capacity as the United Nation’s Secretary General Special Envoy on road safety.
