NAIVASHA, Kenya, Mar 31 – President William Ruto says the government is willing to cede ground to the private sector play a greater role in hosting future World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally.
Speaking on Easter Sunday at Hells Gate in Naivasha during the prize giving ceremony of the 71 edition of the Rally, the Head of State noted that the private sector would make the event more efficient, better managed and cost-effective.
At the same time, the President who is also the patron of the event applauded motorsport enthusiasts attending the three-day Safari Rally, saying it had taken the country years of negotiations and preparations to bring back the WRC event to the Easter weekend.
“Let me promise our visitors that added to what they have seen this year, next year we want to make this event a truly exciting experience, I am going to have a conversation with the teams that have put this together to see next year we double our efforts,” Ruto said.
The Head of State added, “I want to ask the private sector, this event today is heavily sponsored by the government yet there is opportunity for the private sector to participate in this event, I want to invite our private sector to take over this event and manage it better, manage it well and gain from it in a very positive way.”
Ruto continued, “We are wiling to cede space as government, we will continue to back stop and to support this event, I would want to encourage the private sector, people in enterprise to participate in this event to sponsor parts of this event so that we can all benefit from what Safari Rally is – the biggest event in the continent in the rallying space.”
Since the return of the event in 2019 after a 19-year hiatus, the government of Kenya has been spending billions of shillings in organizing this expensive sport that sees Kenya the only country in the continent to host it. The FIA had given Kenya a five-year contract to host the event.
At the 2024 edition, finish driver Kalle Rovanperä racked up his second career WRC Safari Rally Kenya title with commanding victory on ‘fesh fesh’ sand ahead of his Toyota Gazoo racing team-mate, Takamoto Katsuta of Japan who finished second while Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux racing under Ford closed the podium.
