Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) has announced its 3rd round sponsorship of Sh195 million for the 2024 World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally which will also support two local rally drivers Nikhil Sachania and Karan Patel.
The Safari Rally will take place during the Easter weekend from the 28th to 31st March with the flag off at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
Speaking at the event, the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts Ababu Namwamba thanked KCB for their continued support in the sports industry and lauded the government for fulfilling its promise to support the rally.
“We have the opportunity to support the country through the beauty of sports tourism. We insist on the importance of safety, security, and traffic management. There will be measures to strengthen the aspect of safety and security to ensure people have fun and be safe, so kindly follow the measures that will be provided,” cautioned Namwamba.
Making his remarks, Sports Principal Secretary Eng. Peter Tum considered the sponsorship as a great initiative stressing that sports is the best option if you want to touch the hearts of youths in the country.
On the other hand, Mr. Paul Russo, the KCB Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said that they take pride in sponsoring both the rally and the drivers to make this country proud.
“Over the years, we have spent over Sh1.7 billion in support of this motorsport. This year, KCB is renewing the sponsorship of the rally, having set aside Sh195 million where Sh100 million will go to the WRC safari rally and Sh95 million will go to the brand activation and sponsoring of the two drivers,” highlighted Russo.
At the same time, a representative of the Nairobi County Government Dr. Anastasia Nyarita observed that the rally not only boosts tourism in Nairobi but also offers employment.
She added that the bank has set aside more than Sh100 million for this commitment and this support goes a long way in supporting sports in the country.
Meanwhile, this year’s rally is set to be different from the last edition as the organizers have shifted the sports event from June to Easter weekend to return the rally to its original soul, firm experience, and security.
Further, the starting point has been shifted from Uhuru Park to KICC whereas the price-giving venue has been shifted from Service Park to Hell’s Gate in Naivasha.
While receiving their cheques, one of the two rally drivers, Mr. Karan Patel stated that the dream is to win the African Rally Championships a few more times hopefully for the next 4-5 years.
By Stacey Ang’aya and Peace Maziga
