Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has revealed that the 2021 WRC Safari Rally injected Ksh6 billion into the Kenyan economy.
The Safari Rally event returned to Kenya in 2019 after a 19-year hiatus and will take place in the country until 2026.
The Cabinet Secretary made the announcement during the WRC Safari Rally partners' breakfast noting that the event that took place in Naivasha came with the construction of an ultramodern service park.
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“The event, held in Naivasha last year, was of great benefit to small and medium enterprises, injecting Ksh6 billion into the economy. Additionally, the event was ranked as the most followed in the Rally circuit with millions of social media impressions recorded.
“Other benefits that came with the hosting of the event were the construction of an ultramodern service park in Naivasha, positioning of the country as an ideal destination for safari rally enthusiasts, the growth of our tourism sector, and utilization of a team of a highly-trained cadre of professionals in the planning and execution of the event,” Amina noted.
This year's event is scheduled for June 23 to June 27 with plans underway to expand the rallying infrastructure to include other counties.
CS Amina noted the government is in the process of expansion depending on the county's capabilities to demonstrate sufficient rallying area and accommodation for guests among other factors.
“As government, we are keen on expanding rallying infrastructure to include other counties that are able to demonstrate capacity by availing sufficient rallying area and accommodation for guests and committing to develop a service park,” she added.
Some of the counties which are being considered as potential venues include Laikipia, Meru, Nyeri, Mombasa, Machakos and Kwale.
“We are currently considering three-county clusters for upcoming Safari Rally events. Cluster 1 includes Laikipia, Nyandarua, Meru and Nyeri, Cluster 2 has Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi and Taita Taveta while Cluster 3 includes Nairobi, Kajiado, and Machakos,” Amina highlighted.
Amina noted that the government has already put in place the infrastructure required to support the proposed expansion such as the Dongo Kundu bypass construction in Mombasa, the dualling of Rironi - Mai Mahiu road and the construction of the Nairobi Expressway.
The Cabinet Secretary further added that this year's event will have spectator areas and IT-enabled infrastructure that will ensure that fans are well-informed about the rally.
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