President Kenyatta lauds positive impact of World Rally Championship

President Uhuru Kenyatta has lauded the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally, terming it a great motor sporting event that has positively impacted the country’s economy.

Speaking on Sunday afternoon when he awarded winners of the 2022 Safari Rally in Naivasha, Kenyatta said since its return last year, the international motor sporting event has raised the country's profile by attracting renowned motor sports giants.

“Thank you very much for your partnership and your cooperation, and to the people of Kenya you will see this is an event that is in our blood. Let me also remind you that it is not only an event that is in our blood because of our history, but it is also an event that impacts us economically and positions us globally,” President Kenyatta said.

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“As we promote it, we promote not just the sport, we also promote our own economic wellbeing and that is how I would want Kenyans to view it. Don’t look at the event with small lens but rather see it in a bigger picture. Let’s see it as an event which will help us prosper,” said the President.

The 2022 edition marked the second consecutive year the rally was being held in Kenya after ending its 18-year absence from the WRC calendar where the rally was removed due to a lack of finance and organisation in 2003.

The Head of State thanking all stakeholders who helped in bringing back the WRC to Kenya and congratulated the winners for demonstrating the true spirit of sportsmanship.

“We are here today to really celebrate the second year that we have hosted the return of the Safari Rally back on the WRC circuit. We are here to say how happy and proud we are to be together with all our partners and racing lovers across the globe as we celebrate our drivers, as we celebrate their cruise across the globe.

I want to extend my gratitude to the FIA team and the World Rally Championship team for the manner in which we have collaborated. Bringing back the Safari Rally required keen working together and a willingness to partner together to deal with the issues that resulted in the rally leaving Kenya in the first place. And I want to thank them for that partnership. We have walked the journey together and we are back together,” he said.

The President also commended Maxine Wahome, the only Kenyan woman who participated in this year’s Safari Rally for winning category 3 of the 2022 World Rally Championship.

Uhuru Kenyatta poses with Maxine Wahome and Murage Waigwa © AtWorldMA

The winners of this year’s WRC were Kalle Rovanpera followed by Elfyn Evans who took the second position while Takamoto Katsuta took third position.

Reporting by State House Kenya.