Safari Rally lifts Kenya’s dwindling economy as fans follow action in Naivasha
SAFARI RALLY: With economies around the world going through a recession, the 2022 Safari Rally Kenya could not have come at a better time for the East African nation.
There has been little to cheer for most ordinary Kenyans amid record fuel and consumer goods prices coupled with the heightened political campaigns ahead of the Aug. 9 general election.
However, the return of the country’s legendary Safari Rally to the World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar last year gave the nation’s struggling economy a timely shot in the arm.
On June 23, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said last year’s event had pumped over 6 billion shillings (about 51 million U.S. dollars) to the economy when flagging off the cars for the 2022 Safari Rally.
With the event concluding on Sunday, thousands of motorsport enthusiasts, and other Kenyans from all walks of life descended on the resort town of Naivasha, located 90 km from the capital, Nairobi to watch the ultimate battle between man and machine. From sold-out hotels to a string of concerts and a hospitality boom, the 2022 Safari Rally gave the country a welcome distraction from the hardship most citizens around the country are experiencing.
