Safari Rally to pump Sh6b in economy
Edwin Otieno
The much awaited World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally set for Naivasha between June 24 and 27 will earn the country in excess of six billion shillings.
This was disclosed to People Sport by the WRC Safari Rally Chief Executive Phineas Kimathi who also doubles up as the Kenya Motorsport Sports Federation (KMSF) chairman.
Kimathi said that apart from the projected Sh 6 billion expected to be pumped into the economy by the global event that is returning to the country after 19 years, the country will also receive priceless marketing across the world as more than 850 million viewers are expected to watch the action.
“This event will bring big benefits to our country’s economy, we expect in excess of Sh 6 billion in the two weeks or more, that the top drivers and their manufacturing teams will be in the country.
For a long time business has been low especially for the Small and Medium Enterprenuers (SMEs) because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but now lodging and hotel owners in Naivasha, even the hawkers will get good business,” Kimathi told People Daily.
He added: “WRC action is normally followed by more than 850 million viewers globally and on the actual race days, Kenya will be in the face of the world for 25 hours.
This will massively market the country to the rest of the world. We expect between 55 to 60 drivers and remember each manufacturing team like the Toyota Gazoo team come with at least 150 personnel who include mechanics, doctors, dietitians and masseuse among others and they will be in the country for more than two weeks.”
Kimathi said that locally, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) had already lined-up 2,300 staff to make the event memorable and a success.
“We are expecting around 2,300 local personnel ranging from marshals, time keepers, Technical Intervention Vehicle (TIV) staff, Medical Intervention Vehicle (MIV) staff, doctors and security who will be directly involved,” he said.
Meanwhile, In a bid to align the WRC with production cars, Rally1 will adopt plug-in hybrid technology from 2022.
This set-up combines an ICE running on sustainable fuels and a battery that produces zero-emissions.
However, leading rally driver Sebastien Ogier questioned the impact and relevance of incoming WRC rules.
While fully supportive of attempts to reduce the WRC’s carbon footprint, the Frenchman does not think hybridisation goes far enough, arguing that it could already be deemed out-of-date.
