Kenya is gearing up to host the return of the World Rally Championship on June 24-27 after a 19-year absence.
The country was suspended by the FIA from hosting the event in 2002
Participants have started rehearsal, some drivers tested the grounds during the African Rally Championship last Friday, many of them are excited about the return of the WRC.
Rwanda rally driver, Sylvia Vindevogel expressed his happiness at the return of the Championship, saying he has been running for 20 years and it is a dream for WRC to come back to Africa and mainly Kenya because is a country that is very close to his heart.
According to Kenya Minister of Sports, Amina Mohammed it is the country’s first of five rallies since 2002 when they were told to leave, and it has to be the best one ever so that there’s no doubt in anybody’s mind that Kenya is the rally country of the continent, the rally continent of the south, and hopefully the rally country of the entire world.
She said the return of the rally could boost tourism too and provide a market for Kenyan products.
To celebrate the years Kenya has been suspended from the event, the country plans to plant 18 million trees across the route of the location.