The WRC Safari Rally Service Park at Naivasha’s Wildlife Research Training Institute burst into life Saturday with the arrival of top-notch rally cars, crews and equipment.
Service Park manager Joe Muchiri was one extremely busy official handling various needs from the works teams and other crews who spent the day off-loading their precious cargo.
There was some anxiety with the late arrival of service park material belonging to the Toyota Gazoo Racing Team and Hyundai.
M-Sport Ford were lucky to have their container at the Service Park in time and were busy setting up their famous blue when the trucks carrying the rest of the manufacturers’ teams’ equipment arrived shortly after 4pm.
The WRC Safari Rally will run from next week on Thursday to Sunday with the flag-off being at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.
Among the early arrivals was the Citroen R2 car to be driven by the American pair of Sean Johnstone and Alex Kihurani.
There’s something special about the WRC Safari Rally for 35-year-old Obama-esque Kihurani.
Mechanics prepare the Citroen C3 to be driven by American Sean Johnstone and his navigator Alex Kihurani, whose father is Kenyan, at next week’s WRC Safari Rally.
Just like former US President Barack Obama, Kihurani has a Kenyan father.
It will be a homecoming rally for the 35-year-old navigator who ranks as the best rally co-driver in USA.
Kihurani was last in Kenya about 10 years ago, but who grew loving the Safari Rally of old with his father, Gakuu Kihurani, a rallying enthusiast.
Kihurani Senior kept his love for motorsport after relocating to Pennsylvania, USA, in the late 1970s.
He competed in the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally in 1981 with the then six-year-old Alex witnessing the circuit in 1993.
“It was my dad growing up with the Safari Rally that gave him the passion to try and find motorsport in the US, and then I also grew up watching the Safari Rally and also watching European rallies with him,” Kihurani told Nation Sport on the sidelines of the Croatia Rally in April.
“I finally made it to the WRC and I’m finally getting to do a Safari Rally this year now that I live in London… It’s been a big circle to get to the Safari,” he explained.
Kihurani relocated to London and with his driver Johnston based in Germany, the pair can now effectively tackle the busy World Rally Championship circuit.
On Saturday, mechanics were busy sprucing up the pair’s car as Muchiri co-ordinated the activities as he ensured the smooth flow, as per the day’s schedule.
Service Park staff admire the Ford Fiesta MkII to be driven by the Czech pair of Martin Prokop and Zdnek Jurka at the WRC Safari Rally Service Park located in the Wildlife Research Training Institute in Naivasha on June 18, 2022.
At one time, the manager was on the phone making a crucial call, before dashing to meet with those tasked with various duties to brief them on their scope of work.
“We are 85 percent done and by Monday, everything will be in place,” he said, before rushing to co-ordinate other duties.
At the VVIP Presidential dais, those assigned with the sprucing up duties did not disappoint.
They, too, ensured that they completed their duties ahead of the event governed by the FIA.
Chairmania Events Limited, given the job of putting up the tents have also done a splendid job, with the Managing Director Charles Kanyi closely supervising the putting up of the structures.
“We are good to go, we have completed most of the work in readiness for the event,” he said on Wednesday.
The hawk eyed MD spent the better part of the day, supervising the putting up of the tent as the main dais and, when not satisfied, directed how things should be done.
“I don’t like taking chances… I’m a hands-on person and given the magnitude of the event, we cannot afford any slip ups,” said Kanyi.
The former basketballer who turned out for the KCB team in his hey day, got a similar contract during last year’s rally, admitting that the past experience put them in good stead of doing even a better job.
Meanwhile, Naivasha has come to live with traders bidding their time.
On Saturday, a flurry of activities, at the at times lull town, signalled a change of fortunes, with traffic jam experienced at the main Kenyatta Avenue.
“The number of people has increased considerably compared to other days. It’s true the rally fever is catching up,” said a local resident, Ruth Wambui.
Hotelier, Mercy Rahab who enjoyed a windfall during last year’s event said she did not want to be caught off guard, “this time round.”
“During the last event, most of the hoteliers were caught flat footed and lost business in the process. The WRC fans are heavy spenders and we want to give them the best,” she said.
To ensure she will cash on the expected traffic, Mercy has sent up tents in the outskirts of Naivasha town with a double space going for Sh5,000, single Sh2,500 with those lodging there being entertained by a live band. BY DAILY NATION