The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said Sunday the East African nation will continue hosting the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally every year until 2026.
Kenyatta, who presided over the presentation of prizes to winners of the 2021 WRC Safari Rally in Naivasha, northwest of Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, also announced immediate government plans to commence preparations for next year’s WRC Safari Rally.
He said the government secured the hosting rights of the elite motorsport event from the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the WRC after years of intense lobbying and preparations.
“I commit the required financial investment towards another successful championship in Kenya,” he said in a statement issued by the presidency after the conclusion of the grueling three-day event which was won by French driver Sebastien Ogier, followed by his Toyota teammate Takamoto Kasutsa of Japan while Hyundai’s Ott Tanak of Estonia finished the third.
Onkar Rai navigated by Drew Sturrock was the highest-ranked Kenyan driver in position seven followed by Karan Patel and Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo in eighth and ninth positions, respectively.
According to Kenyatta, with the successful hosting of the 2021 WRC Safari Rally, Kenya had demonstrated to the world that it was prepared to host global events despite the logistical challenges posed by COVID-19.
*****
Xinhua
