WRC Safari Rally officials vaccinated for COVID-19

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 09 – A day after the Ministry of Sports rolled out COVID-19 vaccination program, officials of the WRC Safari Rally received the first jab on Friday at the Moi International Sports Center Kasarani.

Organisers of the global showpiece believe the vaccination campaign for competitors and officials will go a long way in boosting the much- needed confidence of visiting teams.

WRC Safari Rally CEO Phineas Kimathi remarked that adherence to the Ministry of Health protocols will mitigate the risks of transmissions that may arise during the staging of the ARC Equator Rally in late April and WRC Safari Rally in June.

“I would like to thank the Cabinet Secretery for Sports, Culture and Heritage Ambassador Amina Mohammed who has coordinated this exercise,”

“The ARC Equator Rally is coming up in two and half weeks and it will act as a dry run of the WRC Safari Rally Kenya which returns to the global series after a 19 years hiatus. So we are quite exited about this exercise.”

The exercise facilitated by the Ministry of Health and coordinated by Ministry of Sports took place outside the WRC Safari Rally secretariat at Kasarani Stadium where several officials including Stage Commanders, Controllers, HODs, a group of the sports media personalities and KMSF Competition Licence Holders were vaccinated for COVID-19.

Among senior officials who got vaccinated in the exercise were Safari’s Chief Safety Officer Noriss Ongalo, Clerk of the Course Gurvir Bhabra, Service Park Manager Anthony Gatei and Media Director Peter Njenga.

CS Amina was represented by Rose Wachuka, Chief of Staff in the Sports Ministry.

“This exercise is intended to keep the athletes safe as well as make sure they get the necessary COVID-19 protection because a lot of international organisers are insisting on vacations,” Wachuka said.

Safari and Equator Rally Service Park Manager Anthony Gatei said: “This will definitely strengthen our immunity so that by the time our guests come for the WRC in June, we will have all taken our second dose, and we will be hopefully in good shape.”

“What we are trying to do is have zero contact; that we will be living In a bubble so the officials running the event will live together, they will go to service park together. And when the competitiors leave we will ensure we have sanitised the whole area, therefore just keeping everyone safe and following all the Covid protocols of the MOH and also the FIA.”

Ongalo said: “By running this initial exercise, we want to ensure that our guest feel safe and are coming into an environment where the necessary steps have been taken to mitigate risks of transmission.  We also have to ensure our team is ready and healthy enough to undertake their responsibilities on Safari.”