Equator Rally dates confirmed after funds threatened cancellation

Image: Imago

Motorsports Equator Rally dates confirmed after funds threatened cancellation

Festus Chuma • 10:40 - 16.02.2023

The African Rally Championship organizers have confirmed the official dates for the 2023 Equator Rally.

The African Rally Championship organizers have confirmed the official dates for the 2023 Equator Rally.

The 2023 Equator Rally will be held from Friday, March 17 to Sunday, March 19, and will be centered around Voi in Taita Taveta County.

The event, which has been a traditional dry run for the World Rally Championship Safari Rally for the last two seasons, had been canceled by Kenya Motorsports Federation (KMSF), citing delays in the release of government funds.

But on Thursday, the Federation Internationale de ‘I Automobile (FIA) confirmed that the Kenyan rally would be the second round of the 2022 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC).

“It has been confirmed the 2023 Kenyan Equator Rally will take place. Sikh Union Club has taken over the running of Equator Rally, and it is not postponed and will run on the dates allocated in Voi,” the ARC said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Sikh Union Club will oversee the event, which now brings hope that this year’s Safari Rally, which runs as a round of the global circuit from June 22 to 25 around Nairobi and Naivasha, will also take place.

In a gazette notice dated February 10, 2023, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba appointed new members for the Steering Committee and Organizing Committee for Safari Rally.

The steering committee will be chaired by Namwamba, with the Principal Secretary of the State Department of Sports serving as Vice-Chairperson.

Image: Imago

Other members include the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Youth Affairs and the Arts, a representative from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Heritage, a representative from the Council of Governors, the CEO of Kenya Commercial Bank, the Director of KMSF, and Phineas Kimathi Muriithi as Secretary.

Rally legend Carl Tundo will chair the organizing committee, while Brian Mutembei will serve as Vice-Chairperson.

Other members of the organizing committee include Phineas Kimathi, the Director-General of the National Youth Service, a representative from the Council of Governors, a representative from the Ministry of Roads and Transport, a representative from the Ministry of Interior, the CEO of the Sports Arts and Social Development Fund, and the Event Secretary, Hellen Shiri.

The committee and secretariat's tenure will last one year, starting from January 4, 2023.

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