[PHOTOS] All systems go ahead of much anticipated Safari Rally

The World Rally Championship WRC Safari Rally will make its debut on Kenyan soil after a 19-year absence from the World Rally Championships circuit, and Kenyans, as well as fans around the world, are eagerly waiting to watch the race.

The rally will take place from Thursday, June 24, up to Saturday, June 27.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is tomorrow expected to flag off the rally at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC).

By Wednesday evening, the contactors were putting their final touches at the KICC flag-off point.

After the flag off from the KICC at 11 am, the cars will head to Kasarani for a side-by-side race on a purpose-built spectator grandstand from 2 pm.

This will set the pace for the race that will kick off on Friday from the main Service Park at the KWS Training Institute in Naivasha along the Nairobi–Nakuru highway.

The rally will take place amid the coronavirus pandemic which has disrupted a lot of activities as far as sports is concerned.

The Ministry of Sports has strongly discouraged groups of more than twenty people at any of the designated spectating zones along the circuit.

Sports CS Amina Mohamed said on Wednesday during the press briefing that everyone will be expected to observe all the Covid-19 containment measures, including, but not limited to, wearing masks and maintaining the recommended physical distance.

“All the Covid-19 protocols remain in place..nothing has been suspended. The rally takes place during the day, and We don’t expect multitudes of people congregating in Naivasha at night,” the CS said.

The CS noted that only a few individuals would be allowed into the designated spectator zones.

The CS further banned partying and dancing at the spectator zones while ordering that entertainment joints be closed by 7 pm.

Also, adequate measures have been put in place to ensure the safety and security of the spectators.

This includes the deployment of uniformed and plain-cloth police officers at strategic places along the circuit.