WRC Official Expounds on Safari Rally Future After President Ruto's New Directive

The iconic Safari Rally Kenya faces an uncertain future in the World Rally Championship (WRC) as discussions continue between event organisers and the WRC Promoter regarding its place on the calendar after 2026.

The rally's initial five-year contract with the WRC concluded last season. A one-year extension was granted for 2026, but this move signalled a potential shift in how the event is managed.

The situation has now reached a critical juncture: Kenya could either lose its spot in the championship or transition to a new, privately funded model.

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Kenyan President William Ruto has made the government's position clear, announcing a major change in funding strategy.

"This is the last Safari Rally where we will be spending public money to promote the event," he declared on Sunday. "From next year, this event will be fully funded and supported by the private sector."

President Ruto explained that government resources would be redirected to support grassroots sports in schools and other areas.

While this redirection of funds is difficult to contest, the economic impact of the Safari Rally, which has brought millions into Nairobi, Naivasha, and the broader Kenyan economy, is a significant counterpoint.

The return of the Safari Rally has been a major triumph for the WRC Promoter. Many observers had doubted that the classic African adventure could be adapted to the modern WRC's stringent requirements without compromising its unique character.

However, the Promoter's team, led by Simon Larkin and Iain Campbell, successfully integrated the event, delivering another spectacular rally last week that showcased its distinct challenges. For many fans, a WRC season without the Safari Rally is almost unthinkable.

Larkin, the WRC's Event Director, remains cautious about the rally's future but confirmed that discussions with President Ruto are ongoing.

He expressed understanding for the government's desire to shift the organisational responsibility away from the public sector.

"President Ruto himself has been quite clear about this," Larkin stated as quoted by Dirt Fish. "He wanted to take the organisation of the event out of the government itself. At the moment, this is organised by the sports ministry. Governments are not the sort of organisations that should be running events."

Larkin elaborated on the proposed new structure, which has been in discussion for two years. "He made the decision not so long ago to put this event back into the private sector, still with government money, but not with them actually doing the organisation. That’s the new business model we’ve been talking about."

He added that the transition has taken longer than anticipated but is now underway, with major corporate partners like SportPesa, Safaricom, and KCB Bank prepared to become stakeholders in a privately-run event. The government would continue to provide essential support, including security, infrastructure access, and some funding.

"That’s the model that’s happening this year, and that’s being done deliberately to set it as the fundamental foundation for what could happen in the future," Larkin explained.

Currently, no deal for 2027 and beyond has been finalised. Larkin admitted that while the WRC is in talks with other African nations, none could be fast-tracked to replace Kenya by 2027.

"We would build something new," he said, should an agreement not be reached.

With the WRC calendar filling up, Scotland is confirmed for 2027, and a bid from the United States is gaining momentum, the pressure is on to secure the future of Africa's immensely popular fixture.