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Kenya will celebrate the 70th edition of the WRC Safari rally in a joint event with the Greek Acropolis Rally, the Ministry of Sport has announced.

Yesterday, Sports CS Ababu Namwamba was jubilant with this high-level diplomatic development.

“We already have gazetted the steering and organising committee for the WRC safari rally 2023,” he said in Nairobi.

“This year will be historic as we will be having a special edition that will twin ours and the Acropolis rally of Greece to celebrate our heritages together.

Namwamba added that it will be a great opportunity for Kenya to showcase its traditions internationally.

The Sports CS also revealed that ongoing talks with his Greece counterpart started a few weeks ago and they have already met in Monte Carlo, France.

“For us we want to launch our sports safari agenda of tourism and marketing Brand Kenya, riding on our sporting activities,” Ababu said.

The Cabinet Secretary will work closely with the Motor Sport Federation but has warned them to steer off politics and concentrate on developing sports in Kenya.

He also added that his docket will ensure that all sports federations and associations will be audited and those found guilty of embezzling public funds will be dealt with according to the law.

Now with this announcement, it is however not clear whether the set dates for the WRC Safari rally 2023 in Kenya will be revised from 22nd – 25th June with those of the Greece Acropolis rally which are set for 7th – 10th September.

These new developments come at the backdrop of  claims from rallying quarters claiming that Africa Rally Championships (ARC) Equator Rally that was supposed to be held in Voi between March 17 and 19 had been cancelled due to lack of funds.

If the claims are confirmed, then it will be major blow to the Safari Rally, as the Equator rally has always been used as a dry run for the global event, to determine the country’s preparedness for the big showpiece.