Kenya in ‘strong position’ to extend Safari Rally contract with WRC
.jpg)
Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 31.01.26. | 15:02
The initial five-year deal elapsed in 2025 with both parties agreeing to extend it by another year to 2026
Kenya is in a ‘strong position’ to extend its contract with the World Rally Championship (WRC) to have the famous annual Safari Rally as part of the global calendar beyond this year.
The Safari Rally, billed as the world’s toughest rally, has been Africa’s round of the WRC since 2021, when it made its return to the international circuit after a 19-year absence.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news
The initial five-year deal elapsed in 2025, with both parties agreeing to extend it by another year to 2026.
Speaking in Nairobi on Friday, 30 January, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Salim Mvurya, announced that the country is in advanced negotiations with the WRC Promoter to extend the Safari Rally’s contract with the global championship.
He expressed confidence in the country's position, stating that Kenya is "in a good place to secure an extension.”
"We are already in engagement with the Promoter and this time round we are even looking at an extension of five years; so that we don’t have a situation where every three years we are looking to see whether there is goodwill of FIA and other partners," Mvurya declared.
The minister praised the progress made in preparations for the 2026 edition, announcing that tens of drivers had already confirmed participation.
"Today, I received the Project Oversight delegation that is overseeing the planning of the WRC Safari Rally, and I can confidently say we are ready to host the event.
Safari Rally is not just a motorsport event, it’s an event that will inspire the economic units of our country, the entire ecosystems,” he added.
He further urged local organisers, WRC Safari Rally Kenya Limited, to engage more stakeholders, including the private sector, to support the event.
"There will be meetings of key government agencies, including the Kenya Tourism Board and many others, to brief them on developments and find opportunities of engagement, be it tourism or small micro enterprise, the opportunities they find in those four days of the rally," he added.
The 2026 WRC Safari Rally will be held entirely in Nakuru County, starting on Thursday and finishing on Sunday, due to changes in FIA regulations.
The shakedown will take place on Thursday, 12 March, near Naivasha Prisons, and will be open to the public for the first time ever.
"We expect Kasarani fans to join the rest in Naivasha, where thrills and spills are guaranteed. The move away from Nairobi is not something we took lightly; it’s something we consulted widely, and from the FIA Sporting Regulations, we either needed to be in Naivasha or Nairobi," said WRC Safari Rally CEO, Charles Gacheru.
Mvurya also announced that the rally is targeting over a thousand volunteers to assist with the event.
"This evening (Friday), the portal for volunteers will be open, in which we are targeting 1200 volunteers to be assigned to different tasks on safari. It will be open to the public so that any Kenyan who wants to volunteer can make an application," he said.
Additionally, Mvurya handed over awards to Kenyan drivers who won international titles in 2025, including Shane Chandaria (Indian F4), Samman Vohra (ARC Junior Champion), and Nikhil Sachania (ARC3).
