The government has unveiled an ambitious plan to plant 18 million trees in the next three years at different Safari Rally routes in Kenya.
Sports CS Amina Mohamed said the tree planting exercise will commemorate Kenya's 18-year absence from the World Rally Championship calendar.
"This project will target parts of our wetlands affected by deforestation, traditional Safari Rally and Kenya Motor Sports Federation routes, the service park and the spectator stage at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani," Amina said.
The CS further asked Safari Rally stakeholders to surpass this target beginning this year as part of the government's plan to establish a rallying legacy.
"Considering that the Rally did not happen this year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope we can revise our mark to 19 million trees to mark 19 years of Safari Rally absence in the country. Our aim is to plant 1.9 million trees this year," she said.
The WRC Safari Rally is to be held next year on June 24-27 after it was postponed in 2020 following the Covid-19 pandemic.
It will be making a return to Kenya after it was struck off the WRC calendar in 2002 due to financial problems and the inability to meet stringent demands set by the tournament organisers.
Amina committed that the government would do everything to avoid the mistakes that led to the country losing out on the revenue-generating event.
" It will converge in excess of 825 million visitors in the form of spectators, online games participants on Safari play station and global television viewership. It is estimated that this event will have a direct injection of approximately 6B Kenya Shillings in the form of foreign currency into the country," she said.
Amina was recently elected to World Motor Sport Council of the International Automobile Federation and is optimistic that this signals brighter times ahead for Kenyan motorsport.
"This election is a great honour for the motorsport fraternity and indeed for Kenya. It signifies our intention to feature on the global motoring world more boldly and with firmer presence," Amina said.
She was speaking on Saturday at Pride Inn Hotel,Mombasa, at the end of a 3-day WRC Safari Rally team building session.
She thanked the Phineas Kimathi-led committee for exceptional and diligent work in preparation for the showpiece.
"I am informed that the past three days have been incredibly enriching with critical presentations covering safety, security, medical, media, life skills, administrative processes and team-building physical activities," Amina said.
