The government will continue paying affiliation fees for World Rally Championships (WRC) Safari Rally and other related fees owed to Federation of International Automobile (FIA), Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said.

While acknowledging the importance of the event in the promotion of sports tourism in the country, Kindiki confirmed the government will continue to pay all fees related to WRC that amounts to Sh400 million annually.

“Be assured we will continue to support motorsports and more especially WRC Safari Rally by paying all the related fees owed to FIA by us and the Kenya Motorsports Federation (KMSF),” Kindiki said at the flagging off ceremony of this year’s WRC Safari Rally at the Kenya Wildlife Training Institute and Research Centre in Naivasha on Thursday. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw_Wm25FuwA

He encourage nurturing of young talents to promote continuity of motorsports, which could see emergence of youngsters who should replace retiring international drivers.

“We must also come up with strategies of nurturing young talents to secure the future of motorsports and WRC Safari Rally,” the DP said in the presence of Cabinet Secretary for Sports Salim Mvurya, FIA officials, KMSF President Maina Muturi and Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika.

The DP guaranteed enough security in all the rally routes in the four-day-motorsports extravaganza in the lakeside town.  

Mvurya confirmed that the government would continue to support the Public Private Partnership in the funding and management of WRC Safari Rally, which this year had KCB and Sportpesa injecting millions of shillings to support the event.

“That’s the way to go to secure the future of this championships if we are to meet the financial ability of the event,” said Mvurya, thus raising the hopes of FIA renewing Kenya’s contract of hosting the global competition.