The National Police Service (NPS) has issued directives to motorists plying the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway and attendants of the 2025 World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally.
The rally event is set to take place from Thursday, March 20 to March 23, in Naivasha.
NPS in a statement on Wednesday said that it is set and ready for the event, adding that its officers will be on the ground to provide security and safety for all and ensure that the momentous rally event runs smoothly.
The rally is expected to cause traffic disruptions along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway.
According to NPS, additional Traffic Police Officers have been deployed on the roads to ensure the free flow of traffic.
The Police service further said it is collaborating with the National Transport and Safety Authority to conduct road safety compliance checks.
NPS Issues Directives Ahead of WRC Safari Rally
With the onset of the long rains, motorists, pedestrians, and all other road users have been asked to exercise extreme caution and adhere to traffic rules to prevent accidents.
“We particularly urge bus and lorry drivers to refrain from parking along the Naivasha–Nakuru Road or causing obstructions,” part of the statement reads.
Also Read: Safari Rally 2025: All Stages, Nairobi-Nakuru Highway Jam and Alternative Routes
Furthermore, rally enthusiasts and members of the public have been urged to strictly adhere to the directives given by the organizers and the Police from time to time to ensure safety and the success of the event.
These directives according to NPS include, but are not limited to, using alternative routes or rescheduling travel plans.
The statement comes just hours before the start of the 2025 WRC Safari Rally, an event that attracts more than 100,000 visitors and is watched by over 120 million people in 170 countries globally, with over 50 international television channels airing it.
The rally features a challenging route primarily centred around Naivasha, with the ceremonial start in Nairobi.
WRC Safari Rally 2025 spans 383.10 km of competitive gravel stages, with a total distance of including road sections of 1,381.92 kilometres.
WRC drivers protest
Meanwhile, WRC drivers have continued their stance opposing the move by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) to sanction drivers for using “inappropriate language” by limiting comments in stage-end interviews at Safari Rally Kenya.
Also Read: Drama in Naivasha as Kenyan Rally Driver is Slapped with Ksh71,000 Fine
Drivers only spoke in their mother tongue to explain why they were not commenting during stage-end interviews during Wednesday shakedown while others refused to comment.
It is anticipated that this stance could continue throughout the remaining days of the event.
Fourmaux and Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta were among those who remained silent when television reporter Julian Porter posed a question at the end of the first shakedown run.
Others chose to use their own language to explain why the drivers have decided to restrict comments in stage-end interviews.
Fourmaux was slapped with a €10,000 (approximately Ksh1.4 million) fine and hit with a suspended €20,000 (approximately Ksh2.8 million) fine for swearing during a television interview at the conclusion of Rally Sweden, last month.
The rally driver was deemed to have breached Article 12.2.1.l of the 2025 FIA International Sporting Code which covers the use of “inappropriate language.”
Responding to the protest by the drivers, FIA reiterated its stance on drivers using “inappropriate language” but said that it would discuss the matter with WRC competitors.
The stance was taken by the WRC drivers after they felt the fines issued to Fourmaux were unacceptable.
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