Safari Rally 2026 promises bigger spectacle as CFAO injects Sh48.5m

Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi believes the 2026 edition of the Safari Rally Kenya will be the biggest motorsport spectacle on Kenyan soil since the iconic rally returned to the World Rally Championship calendar in 2021.

Speaking during CFAO Mobility Kenya’s sponsorship announcement for this year’s Safari Rally on Sunday, Mwangi said the upcoming edition is poised to raise the bar even higher for the championship’s most demanding round.

“This year we expect an even bigger spectacle, making Kenya once again the centre of global motorsport excellence,” Mwangi said.

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The PS noted that Kenya has firmly entrenched itself as a premier stop on the world rally stage, with the Safari continuing to captivate fans and crews alike.

Kenya has created a solid link in the global motorsport calendar as a proud host of the WRC Safari Rally.

“Now in the sixth consecutive year since its return in 2021, the Safari has captured the imagination of motorsport fans across the world and has been consistently recognised as the most spectacular and challenging round of the calendar,” he added.

Mwangi also rallied behind local drivers and navigators preparing to tackle the unforgiving Kenyan terrain, urging them to fly the Kenyan flag high on the toughest rallying battleground.

“To our drivers and navigators who carry the hopes and dreams of our nation, your courage, discipline and determination embody Kenyan sporting excellence.

“You represent the aspirations of young people who see motorsport as a platform for excellence,” he said. He also extended his best wishes to the international crews preparing for the gruelling Kenyan stages. “I wish all crews the very best in what is widely regarded as the toughest leg of the WRC calendar.”

This year’s rally has also received a major financial boost from CFAO Mobility Kenya, which has backed the event with a sponsorship package worth Sh48.5 million. Mwangi expressed gratitude for the company’s continued commitment to supporting motorsport development.

“I extend my gratitude to Toyota for their continued commitment to growing motorsport locally and internationally. “That support has been instrumental in strengthening both the Safari Rally and the broader motorsport ecosystem in Kenya,” he said.

He added that the company has played a pivotal role in shaping the Safari into a global motorsport attraction. “The journey to make the Safari Rally a premium global motorsport event could not have been possible without the support from Toyota.”

Arvinder Reel, managing director of CFAO Mobility Kenya, said the company remains committed to elevating Kenya’s motorsport profile globally.

“Our commitment goes beyond sponsorship; we are investing in the growth of motorsport and will continue to champion initiatives that nurture young talent and elevate Kenya’s rally standing on the global stage,” he said.

Meanwhile, Charles Gacheru, CEO of the Safari Rally, revealed that crews will begin reconnaissance runs on Tuesday and Wednesday before the traditional shakedown and ceremonial flag-off on Thursday at the Wildlife Research and Training Institute in Naivasha. “We will have the shakedown on Thursday at

Nawisa, which is very accessible to spectators on foot,” Gacheru said.

“That same day, we will have the flag-off at the service park before the cars head to Camp Moran and then return to Mzabibu at the end of the day,” he added.

Gacheru also urged fans planning to throng the rally stages to observe traffic regulations and prepare for unpredictable weather. “I urge Kenyans to come out in large numbers, but let us obey traffic laws and be ready for the rains. Gumboots are advised,” he said.