Visitors and residents are revelling in fun-filled activities on the sidelines of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in the lakeside town of Naivasha in Nakuru County.
A hawker arrives at Kedong 1 stage in Naivasha during the 2023 WRC Safari Rally on June 23, 2023.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
‘Vasha’, as Naivasha is referred to in entertainment circles, has been converted into a thrilling party scene, with fans having found an expansive free dance floor on the shores of Lake Naivasha.
The nightlife has also been enriched by the WRC fest, with revellers holding spontaneous parties and dancing to the latest tunes in entertainment spots that dot the town.
In nightclubs and other popular entertainment joints, DJs and other players are cashing in on the jamboree, as mostly young people rock away to reggae, pop, rhumba, and secular music.
As the rally drivers demonstrate their prowess in endurance, speed, ability to navigate the sharp bends and around craggy rocks, their fans have been showcasing the latest dance moves on the sidelines of the event.
The clouds of dust the speeding machines are leaving in their wake along scenic routes like Hell's Gate, Kedong Ranch, Soysambu Ranch, and South Lake Road aren't a bother to the ardent motorsports fans.
“Kosa Vasha uchekwe (Miss out on the Vasha experience and you will be a laughing stock),” says Ms Peggy J, a resident of Kiambu, who is in the town to enjoy not the thrills of WRC cars but to have fun with her friends.
"I have enjoyed the thrills to the fullest, and although I have not had a chance to see any of the drivers in action outside the dusty roads, I have enjoyed myself and I have no regrets," adds Peggy.
“This is the 7th leg of the WRC series. I'm here to enjoy. I started planning for this event in January because I missed it last year,” says Mr Ryan Petro, 29, from Uganda while sipping a drink on the rooftop of his latest Subaru model.
Fans meet WRC Safari Rally drivers at Safari Mall in Naivasha town on June 22, 2023.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation Media Group
Mr Jonathan Habimana from Rwanda adds: “I have had the best nights here in Vasha. I'm enjoying myself. Vasha is the place to be at this moment in time... if you're a Kenyan and you're not here, you're a loser.”
Investors in the hospitality industry are happy, with the hotels fully booked.
"I'm happy the Airbnb business is booming, thanks to WRC. I have six rooms whose rates vary between Sh3,500 and Sh15,000 a night, and with these rates, I can't complain because some of the motorsport fans booked the rooms one week in advance and they are set to extend for another week," says Mr Abraham Kinuthia.
France's Sebastien Ogier and his co-driver Vincent Landais compete in their Toyota Yarris at Kedong 1 stage of the 2023 WRC Safari Rally in Naivasha on June 23, 2023.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
"I am doing outside catering work for some of the people in the Airbnbs. I charge them Sh5,000 for a complete service," says an elated Ms Judy Kiongera.
She adds: "WRC should be a biannual event because what I have made in one week will help me clear my outstanding bills that have been nagging me."
"WRC is a remarkable event and an unforgettable moment for me as an employer as I have increased my workforce three times to serve the increasing number of clients," says a hotelier along the South Lake Road.
Estonia's Ott Tannak navigated by Martin Jarveoja cruise in their Ford Puma at Kedong 1 stage of the 2023 WRC Safari Rally in Naivasha on June 23, 2023.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
A taxi driver, Mr. James Mburu, says he has been able to service a loan he obtained from his merry-go-round thanks to the WRC event.
"The clients I'm carrying are not from Naivasha, and they don't bargain the charges, and this makes me happy. I was hired by a group who paid me Sh10,000 for two days," says Mr. Mburu.
Fans follow the action at Kedong 1 stage in Naivasha during the 2023 WRC Safari Rally on June 23, 2023.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
The local chemists are also doing booming business, with the fast-moving items including contraceptives like the pregnancy control pill, Postinor-2, popularly known as P2, male and female condoms.
"I have exhausted my stock of P2 and condoms, and I'm happy because the stock was just about to expire," says a chemist shop owner in Naivasha town.
Kenya's Hamza Anwar and co-driver Kenya's Adnan Din steer their Ford Fiesta Rally3 during the WRC Safari Rally Kenya, part of the FIA World Rally Championship, in Naivasha, Kenya, on June 23, 2023. Kenya's Hamza Anwar and co-driver Kenya's Adnan Din steer their Ford Fiesta Rally3 during the WRC Safari Rally Kenya, part of the FIA World Rally Championship, in Naivasha, Kenya, on June 23, 2023.
Photo credit: Tanya Willmer | AFP
The ‘Subaru boys’ are rocking Vasha in the wild with the latest Subaru models – which include the Subaru Forester Sports – which are every day parked along the dusty rally routes as they enjoy their expensive drinks.
"We have come to rock Vasha, and we're here to stay past Sunday because the party must continue after the rally," says Mr Brian Kimetto.
A Japanese national on a student exchange programme in Kenya, Mr Hiroko Hana, speaking of his first rally experience, said in Kiswahili: "Twende safari rally, tufike salama... safari rally ni tamu... Tunaenda Naivasha kujienjoy" (Let's go to the safari rally, let's arrive safely... the safari rally is sweet... We're going to Naivasha to enjoy).
