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The youth took issue with Sports CS Ababu Namwamba for not heeding President William Ruto’s directive to give them first priority
Youth in Naivasha have threatened to disrupt the WRC Safari Rally that revs off in the town on Thursday if they do not get opportunities at the event.
The over three hundred youth took to the streets on Monday and blocked roads, accusing the organisers of locking them out of the event.
They clashed with anti-riot police and paralysed operations in some streets of the lakeside town as they demanded ‘justice’ while lashing at their leaders for failing to raise the issue with the organisers while outsiders were being hired at their expense.
Their anger stems from a promise made by President William Ruto to area residents last week that they would be given the first priority in job opportunities at the event.
“We want to address CS Ababu Namwamba, he was given an order by the President who said he should not get people from Eldoret or Kakamega but to give youth of Naivasha the jobs,” the group leader Simon Wakaba told NTV.
“WRC is happening here from Thursday and this just the start, we will protest until we get those jobs,” he added.
Naivasha is preparing for the event, dubbed the toughest rally on the WRC calendar, with top drivers such as eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier, who won the 2021, among the star attractions.
Speaking about the progress of the preparations last week, Namwamba revealed that everything is set for the event set for the rally scheduled for June 22-25.
He revealed that the Local Organising Committee is done with the preparations and they are just waiting for the D-day.
This year’s edition is a special one in the country since Kenya will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Safari Rally since the first event was held in 1953.
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