KCB Bank has committed Sh150 million towards the World Rally Championship Safari Rally and will be the official financial partner of the iconic rally set for June 22 to 26.
From the cash, Sh100 million will go to the event, the bank will sponsor three drivers—Karan Patel, Evans Kavisi and Nikil Sachania–at a cost of Sh17.4 million, and the rest will be used for activation to publicise the rally to be held in Naivasha and Nairobi.
The bank’s Chief Executive Officer Paul Russo presented the cheques to his WRC Safari Rally counterpart Phineas Kimathi during a function held outside Kencom House which brought traffic to a standstill as curious onlookers had a glimpse of the rally cars of the three drivers.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, who was the chief guest, accompanied by the new Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum, announced that the government will sponsor a national team in the Safari, including a women’s crew.
“The ministry will be supporting a team of female drivers to be part of this rally. I am happy we are giving this event a Kenyan feel in terms of branding, a Kenyan feel in terms of participating drivers,” said Namwamba.
The government will also support three junior drivers — Mcrae Kimathi, Jeremiah Wahome and Hamza Anwar.
Namwamba also announced that President William Ruto will flag off the WRC Safari Rally at Uhuru Park.
He challenged the Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) to address the cause of the dwindling numbers of participants before the government steps in to fully support the sport.
He said staff of the WRC Safari Rally secretariat will serve the motorsports better by actively being engaged in promoting activities of the KMSF because the government wants to see growth of the sport from the grassroots.
The CS said the ministry will celebrate all people who have made a contribution towards the Safari’s 70 years history in a veterans’ dinner in Nairobi.
“We are putting together yet another massive rallying event to reinforce Kenya’s growing profile as a global sporting arena,” he said.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Russo who promised to resume sponsorship of the national championship once the KMSF gets its act together.
KCB is a long-serving sponsor of rally and sports in general having injected more than Sh1.5 billion towards sports in the last 20 years.
The bank has also sponsored the national rally championship until last year when it discontinued.
Russo said: “We take great pride in being part of East Africa’s motorsport history since 2003, when we first sponsored the Safari rally. This marks another chapter in our story and reiterates our commitment in supporting sports, as we celebrate the historic return of WRC Safari Rally to Kenyan soil.”
“It is a great pleasure to see that our sponsorship over the years has resulted in the growth of motorsport in the region opening up the sport to many young talents,” he added.
In 2019, KCB became the Official Financial Partner for the Safari Rally Kenya for the World Rally Championship (WRC) Rally, with a 3-year commitment of Sh250 million starting with a WRC Candidate event staged in June 2019.
WRC Safari Rally Local Organising Committee chairman Carl Tundo said: “This renewed sponsorship will go a long way in ensuring that we host another successful WRC event. We expect a great spectacle this year as more high-level drivers look to take on the world’s toughest rally.”
KCB also announced a commitment towards promoting sustainability and care for the environment during sporting activities. “We are championing sustainability initiatives like tree growing, recycling, waste management in the run-up, during and after the Safari Rally,” said Russo adding that KCB has joined hands with other partners in an initiative to plant 400,000 trees in several counties in the course of this year. Last year, through this partnership 700,000 trees were planted.
Renowned as the toughest round in the WRC calendar, the 2023 Safari Rally is expected to attract over 50 local and international drivers.
World and Safari Rally defending champion Kalle Rovanpera of Finland leads a team of eight drivers who have confirmed their participation in the 2023 showpiece, so far.
