Year-In-Review: Kenya staged colourful WRC Safari fiesta amid KMSF leadership tussles

This was owing to Safari Rally’s heritage and history with the Easter weekend where it was usually characterized by families streaking to the spectator stages to witness the best drivers in the world battle for pride and victory.

People came in their thousands in various spectator stages starting from the Kasarani Super Special Stage that puts two drivers head to head in a 4.2km stretch to the Soysambu stage where tents had been pitched to accommodate troves of fans who had travelled from far and wide to witness the action. 

"We are Rally Hunters from Uganda and we've come to witness the Safari Rally. We've been coming to this event over the years and we are happy to be here this time during Easter. We have carried our own food to cook for ourselves because we can't do without Matoke," said Ugandan fans who had traveled all the way from Kampala, Uganda. 

The local fans weren't left behind as they came with family to witness this once in a lifetime experience.  

"I come from Ndhiwa, Homabay. There is a change; this time round there are so many people. I just want to see those drivers because I only see them on Television," opined a fan. 

"We've come from Kakamega as a family with my husband and my daughter and we just want to enjoy the action. I feel good when I see the speed and how they navigate those corners."

When it was time for action, there was no match for Toyota’s Kalle Rovanpera who won his second Safari rally title and Toyota’s fourth in a row after seeing off teammate Takamoto Katsuta and Puma’s Adrien Fourmax. 

"It was such a tough legendary event for Toyota. We've always been so good here in Kenya. Big thanks to the team for everything they've done to ensure the car works so well. I think Me and Jonne (Haultunnen) did very well. I think you can't do a better Safari Rally than what we did," said Rovanpera. 

Safari rally is loved and feared in equal measure for its punishing nature and terrain and it was once again on show for both local and international driver as witnessed by Puma's Adrien Fourmax and Five-time Safari Rally champion Carl Tundo.

"We had a good strategy of pushing on the open places and slow in the tough stages and that's we did but it was still so rough," said Frenchman Fourmax.

"We got two punctures and lost our brakes at the end of Kedong and we were on the back foot from there henceforth. I don't think Sleeping Warrior has been rougher than this year (2024); it's a car breaker," said Tundo after finishing 16th overall. 

Once again local drivers weren’t a match to the rally one cars as explained by African Rally Champion Karan Patel.

"We can't compare with the top boys (Rally One cars) for now but it's good to see what they can do with these cars and what we've to do to get there. That's something that is a mystery for now but hopefully we can," said Karan. 

Since the curtains came down on this year’s edition, leadership wrangles have rocked the Kenya  Motorsport Federation , KMSF, with various camps gunning for the lucrative leadership position. 

The federation has witnessed the emergence of different factions all salivating to take over the leadership of the federation but the latest twist saw 11 out of the 15 clubs that form the board throw their support to current chairman Maina Muturi.

Rally fans here in Kenya and globally can only hope that these wrangles won’t hamper the preparation and organizing of the 2025 event.