With three months to the World Rally Championships (WRC) Safari Rally, it is high time for the members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) to engage a different gear to ensure another world-class event.

With the rally slated for June 23 to 27, time is already running out for the organisers who should move swiftly and hit the ground running.  Experience has demonstrated that putting up a successful event of such magnitude is no mean feat.

Preparations for the return of the global event in 2021, which was held after a 19-year break, was successful largely because of early preparations.

Months into the games, it was all systems go with several weekly trips to some of the routes by members of the media, technical and safety officials as well as security to ensure that everything worked ahead of the competition which has a massive viewership across the world.

A lot of work certainly needs to be done on the new routes to ensure safety and a memorable experience for participating drivers.

After a number of participants complained of fesh-fesh at the Kedong section during last year’s race, organisers have responded to the concern by cancelling the section ahead of this year’s action and instead re-introduced the Malewa stretch.

Creating feeder roads to and from the service park to the hotels was well thought to ease traffic within Naivasha town during the rally and more of such ideas will be commendable ahead of this year’s event, the seventh leg on the WRC calendar.

Since the rally is tipped to pump nearly Sh6 billion into the Kenyan economy annually, it is, without doubt, a massive showpiece for the local hospitality and transport industry.

Hotels in and around Naivasha, should start upgrading their facilities as they prepare to host hundreds of fans that are likely to flock the town.

For a country that hugely relies on tourism earnings, it is expected that players in the sector will step up their act and seize the opportunity to show case the country’s breath taking beauty and culture. But this has not been the case.

 The tourism ministry has largely been laid back, treating the rally as a Sports ministry affair.  The connection of the event with Kenya’s fame as an authentic safari destination should be showcased as the cars traverse scenic and beautiful locations in the country.