President Uhuru Kenyatta has complimented the World Rally Championship (WRC), terming it a magnificent motor sporting event that favorably influenced the country’s economy.
Since its comeback last year, the international motorsports competition, according to President Kenyatta, has drawn well-known motorsports heavyweights, raising the country’s image.
In Naivasha, Nakuru County, the President addressed on Sunday afternoon as he presented prizes to the victors of this year’s Safari Rally.
“We appreciate your support and cooperation, and as the Kenyan people will attest, this is an occasion that runs in our family.
As I mentioned earlier, President Kenyatta added, “Let me also remind you that it is not only an event that is in our blood because of our history; it is also an event that effects us economically and positions us globally.
At the same time, the President urged Kenyans to continue supporting the competition as an economic endeavor in addition to a sporting one.
“An event like this is not just about the drivers and the crews; it’s about every single person who participates, from the hotels that are filled to the waitstaff that serves them, from those who handle traffic to the spectators and the vendors of various goods.
It is an occasion that fills the pockets of wananchi with cash.
“As we advertise it, we advertise not only the sport but also our own economic prosperity, and that is how I want Kenyans to perceive it. Don’t observe the event through a limited lens; rather, consider it in the context of a larger picture.
Let’s look at it as an opportunity to grow, the President said.
The Head of State commended the champions for exemplifying the real spirit of sportsmanship and thanked all parties who contributed to bringing the WRC back to Kenya.
We’re here today to commemorate the second year that we’ve staged the Safari Rally’s return to the World Rally Championship circuit.
We are here to express how thrilled and proud we are to be celebrating our drivers’ global voyage with all of our partners and racing enthusiasts throughout the world.
The prize is not in winning; rather, it is in how you win, thus my goal is to congratulate each and every participant.
I sincerely hope that all of our participants in this year’s Safari Rally have demonstrated to us their need and strong desire to compete fiercely, but we are present because we recognize that competition is not an adversarial relationship.
“Congratulations to each and every one of you, not only the winners, but to everyone who entered,” he remarked.
The Federation International de l’Automobile (FIA) and the World Rally Championship were congratulated by the President, who also serves as the Safari Rally’s patron, for working with the government to bring the event back and ensure its success.
“I want to express my gratitude to the World Rally Championship team and the FIA team for our cooperation. In order to address the problems that led to the rally leaving Kenya in the first place, it was necessary to work closely together and be willing to collaborate.
We have traveled the journey together and are now back together, and I want to thank them for that collaboration, he said.
The sole woman from Kenya who competed in this year’s Safari Rally, Maxine Wahome, was praised by the president for winning category 3 of the 2022 World Rally Championship.
Amina Mohammed, the cabinet secretary for sports, culture, and heritage, Rodrigo Rocha, the vice president of the International Federation of Automobiles, and Phineas Kimathi, the chairman of the Kenya Motor Sports Federation, also spoke at the occasion, which was also attended by First Lady Margaret Kenyatta.
Earlier, the President and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, along with top government and rally officials, watched the drivers whiz past as they took on one of the most challenging yet thrilling sections of the WRC Safari Rally from a magnificent vantage point in Naivasha’s Hells Gate National Park.
This year’s WRC was won by Kalle Rovanpera, who was closely followed by Elfyn Evans in second and Takamoto Katsuta in third.