All set for Safari Rally as 100,000 fans expected

More than 100,000 motorsport enthusiasts are expected to flock to Naivasha town Thursday for the fourth edition of the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally event.

In preparation for the event, hotels have reported impressive bookings, security has been beefed up, and entertainment joints have stocked up on popular drinks and meals to cater to visitors.

A multi-agency security team has been deployed to ensure security in and around the lakeside town, with assurances that the perennial traffic jams along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway will be addressed.

Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Josiah Odongo confirmed that security measures had been put in place to safeguard the town and its suburbs ahead of the rally.

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He announced that parties along Moi South Lake Road, one of the rally routes, had been banned to address the persistent traffic congestion.

“We will not allow any partying, parking of cars along the Moi South Lake Road, or hawking. Anyone flouting the law will be arrested,” he said.

Odongo added that additional security officers would be deployed along the highway, and the Gilgil Weighbridge—one of the main causes of traffic jams —had been automated to ease congestion.

David Mwangi, chairman of the Nakuru County Tourism Association, noted that while most hotels had recorded impressive bookings, the numbers were lower compared to last year.

He noted that despite the harsh economic times that have eroded many people’s purchasing power, over 100,000 rally enthusiasts were expected to attend the three day event in Naivasha.

“The bookings are fair, but we hope this will improve. We are working with the government to ensure event’s success,” he said.

He attributed the low bookings to poor publicity, pointing out that many Kenyans were unaware of the rally, now in its fourth edition in Naivasha.“Hoteliers are fully prepared for the rally, which kicks off this week, but we are concerned about the low publicity, as it could lead to a drop in visitor numbers,” he added.

Naivasha OCPD Antony Keter warned criminals that security officers were aware of their anticipated influx during the event.

He urged revelers to exercise caution, noting that it would be difficult to monitor activities in entertainment joints, particularly those frequented by scantily dressed girls.

“In the past, we have recorded cases of men being drugged and robbed, and we hope they have learned their lesson as our security officers intensify patrols,” he said.

Regarding rally preparations, WRC Service Park Manager Joel Muchiri confirmed that everything was set, with the first consignment and some rally cars arriving over the weekend.

He expressed confidence that the event would be a success despite the rainy weather, adding that they were working closely with security officers to ensure a smooth execution.

“The major companies have already shipped in all their equipment, including media broadcasting machines, and we are fully prepared for this global event,” he said.

One of Naivasha’s top hoteliers, Ronny Muraya, described the current bookings as fair, expressing optimism that the numbers could rise in the coming days.

Muraya, the proprietor of Nest Boutique along Moi South Lake Road, revealed that he is among those still owed payments by the government for the past three editions of the event.

“We have been taken in circles by the government, with the current WRC management claiming they are unaware of the outstanding debts,” he said. Like other hoteliers, he said that they were unwilling to offer services to WRC-Kenya on credit due to their past experiences.