Podium betrayal at WRC

As the buzz around the just concluded 2023 WRC Safari Rally simmers down, discontentment over preferential treatment has started to emerge with Kenyan drivers feeling slanted.

With 19 Kenyan drivers participating in the event, the spectacular affair saw thousands of Kenyans troop to Naivasha to witness as world champions battled for the top spot on the podium.

However, after the top drivers were awarded, Their Kenyan counterparts were left to award themselves, something that irked the group.

“The rally was a great initiative for us and we really enjoyed it. However, we feel that we were not given the same recognition as others, because as soon as the big boys left, everyone including the officials were not there. We were left to award each other,” said Joe Kariuki, who scooped the sixth position in the WRC/KNRC category.

Kariuki, who drove Subaru N14 and was navigated by John Ngugi, says that there is a need to encourage more Kenyan drivers to take on the sports, but there are challenges that hinder their success.

“It is challenging to secure sponsorships, especially for lesser-known drivers. We hope that the government, in particular, can provide more support which is morale boosting. It is a great feeling when you get to the podium to be awarded and we hope to inspire the next generation of drivers,” he said.

The drivers have laid the blame squarely at the feet of the WRC/KNRC top officials who they say treated them in a manner that was absolutely undignified, thoroughly unprofessional and a manner which lacked the most basic human decency.

“It was a total shame at the podium. Soon as they had conferred the awards to these big shots, alongside the President and all the media present, we were left to scramble amongst ourselves for awards. It was total chaos - you cannot believe that my navigator John Ngugi and I were left stranded on stage as a female usher passed our award to us.

We went through all the required regulations and passed all the tests. We were at the practice, we paid the money any driver was required to pay to enter the competition. I don’t understand how, after the visiting drivers had been awarded, we were just left stranded, confused at the podium,” Joe lamented.

“I’m born and bred in Naivasha. When we arrived here, hundreds of my Naivasha fans came out screaming my name. And after it all, do I have to receive my award from a casual model? Not even, at least, from my area Governor!? What happened to recognise homegrown talent?” he posed.