 Jeremy. Adiawa kua. Dua nulakumana. This is the touch line is just tuning in right now. And my name is Max Oluwasek. Happening every Saturday 1 to 3 on Y254 soro. Robert Maibo ko hosti, still around with us and joining us is a very renowned man when it comes to matters rallying forma navigator WRC Press Officer. You see a journalist and a man who has defied all odds to get to do what he has done We have removed what to ask. Wow. So first of all how is your Abdul Sidi training school in Ghana? Are you still offering services at Pro Bono? Yeah yeah. I am unfortunately because of the corona virus. Things have been quiet. We have been thinking about our health first. It is slightly, I should go to willing if everything goes well. So, over 25 years, I rallied across Africa, I went all the way to Malaysia, I navigated one champion, Krega Dimaweas, from Belgium in the safari. Eight times African champion from Zambia in Uganda Rally, Patrick Juhu, champion Kenya, big name. Among the many drivers I have navigated, nobody taught me this self-taught. One thing I learned in my life, young guys, never drink, never smoke. You may hate me for that, but that has been my life. I have never smoked, I have never drunk in my life. And as a navigator, you need to be like a guy looking for a wife. And the wife has to be of good record. If you know to be drinking and smoking and all this, no, no, don't touch him. That is the language. Before we head on to talk about the WRC and everything that is happening, just give us a tribute to one of the legendary safari rally drivers who passed away recently, Jensha. Jensha was a great, great big name. When I stepped into the sport, I found him there and it was very interesting. Following him, he was a real gentleman. He never heard him speak rude and he was always kind. Jenti was 78 years old. He was based in Arusha and he had a big textile factory. So unfortunately, coronavirus claimed another life. He had won the Kenya National Rally Championship three times. He may land rally in India three times. He had done the classic rally, the safari rally. He was a real sportsman and I really, may God rest his soul in peace. It is the touchline here on Y2F4. We are hanging out with one of the legendary navigators in the country, a journalist, a man of many hearts and now we are talking about the world rally championship. Your stomach must be having some rumble when you come and now we are talking about the rally. It's a, it's here. When you told what happened in 2009 to some of us who are still young and didn't get the full glimpse of what really happened, just give us paint for us the picture of how it was like and going forward in June this year for those people who are looking forward to the epic extravaganza. Safari, to be honest, I don't know to run down what safari has done to now, into, now and what it was in 2002. Those years when you're talking about 20 years ago, the safari rally was 5,800 kilometers. Now the safari is less than 500 kilometers. Safari is three days and that time safari was about six days and used to go right. Five days, six nights. Yes, six nights. Now we used to drive and it used to be fun. I still can't imagine those days we were still sitting in the car and with all the energy you come out, speak and do all that. But now worldwide the WRC has changed. It's become a sprint event before it was endurance. How far can you go? But now how quickly can you go? So the cars have also become very expensive. The WRC safari rally is back and Kenya has, we are really looking forward to seeing the fast cars of the world which at the moment the Monte Carlo rally is going on and the quick cars in there which haven't come to the African continent. Yes. For this in June 24 to 27 the safari rally will take place in Kenya. What are some of the cars that will be coming to town for the safari rally? Right now if you look at the list forget the sounds and the faeotas, the skoda and all that. Me and Finias Khimadi the chairman of the safari rally we drove together and we were the first ever crew in the world to score points for the UNI team when we finished the 18th overall to debt we are still in the history books. So the UNI is now doing very well in the world rally championship. Those are the cars coming to Kenya and it will be fun seeing those cars and fun to see the drivers of the present age who don't care about speech, who don't care about accidents determined to go. The adrenaline is high. And I must say the team that is there at the moment led by Finias Khimadi as the CEO of the safari rally WRC is a event director Jim Kawumbura, Guvib Amra the clock of the calls. Brilliant team. Right now when we are thinking of nothing is happening everything is so low. This guy is active. It is really hard work because I remember I was in the Kenya Motor Sports Awards last year and when I talked to Finias the president he told me that he had travelled to over 58 countries to lobby for the WRC to come into the country. So it is really a big thing. Talk about the stages that the drivers are going to pass through. I understand it is going to start from KICC then to Kasaraneq and then to Nehivasha. Tell us what is going to happen there. KICC is the centre point. KICC Kenya International, Kenyatta International colourful centre. It is world famous for the safari to start outside KICC is not safari. Not safari. That is the point where the safari rally will start from and then it will head to Kasaraneq where there will be a spectator stage and the cars will do a small stage there for about 2-3 kilometres and from there they will drive to Nehivasha. Nehivasha is the centre point. Nehivasha is the area where it is going to command stages over the next two days. Even the service park is going to be there. The service park is around that area. Everything is within that point. So we have got people, Guvi Bambra, Naziriya Kuhu, my brother Anwar Sidi, Choy Buangi, Norisa Ongalo. This is a very strong team which is always seen going to Nehivasha and just last week there were two officials from FIA. Kambo and Fua. They came here. They are not as inspectors but they are part of the safari rally team. They have just come to check and to see where things are going well. Where can we advise you? Where can you come and work together? So they went round and they have seen everything is okay. Jinn taught and finished. They are constantly in communication. And don't forget Amina Mohamed. She is also part of the FIA Motorsport Council. That is a big step. How does it feel, the government has exhibited towards the success of WRC? Because I remember last year when the candidate event was being flagged off President Hurukinata himself was present presiding over the exercise. How does it feel? You've gotten much needed support and backing from the government. That is the most important thing because Jinn taught the president of the FIA to be called here and be spoken to or spoken with. The president of Kenya. It's a unique step. Nowhere in the other parts of the world where a president of the country comes and welcomes the FIA to come. So that in itself showed Kenya has got a strong commitment. The government is involved. Don't forget there will be more than 4 million visitors. Tourists, hotels. All hotels in that area, they are fully booked. Even here in town because it will be full. They are fully booked because the teams have already booked the places and now late teams are searching for hotels which unfortunately will be slightly far away from the service park. They want to be within that service park. So with the commitment of the government that is Mr. President Hurukinata who has come in with Finias Lamadi as the CEO these two guys have really done brilliant and they worked hard for the Kenyan people for the Kenyan sportsmen for the safari rally drivers for us people as spectators as press and this is what we want this is what we want to see and that we are just praying we pray coronavirus doesn't begin. Actually talking about the coronavirus give us an update we talk about the Monte Carlo leg that is going on ours is I think the seventh leg that will be coming unfortunately swedish rally rally GB Great Britain have been cancelled and that is very sad and they have been cancelled because of the coronavirus and we are just keeping our fingers crossed that we stay safe and healthy and come towards June we are all ok but it is very important for us it is us to control ourselves it is us to protect ourselves it is us to stop this virus spreading and among the reasons that the late Kenya's admission to FII rally calendar is the safety concern which was raised I don't know ahead of the events which mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that even the spectators are safe because it will be a moving event that you can deny Kenya an axis to watch what will be happening I don't know there are some stringent nations that have been deployed the head of the safety group Noris Ogalo is my student and he is the chief safety officer for this rally and like I said I have got over 400 marshals over 400 marshals wow that is landmark now 400 marshals before rally stages were very long I remember we would start from Suswa and into Lele there 200 kilometers 220 kilometers competitive you are just reading the notes you are reading the notes and that's it but now the longest stage FII allows is 60 kilometers ok you can't have anything long like that but in Nevasha 35-40 kilometers that's the longest and then you've got the shortest so if you spread 500 people it's like every kilometer there's a mushroom and then you educated even my rally academy we preach safety that please do not stand outside the corner now imagine the outside of a corner is this one here the cars are coming fast this way and if the chances of rolling are going to be it will be there going outside there so please stand here inside the corner so if the car rolls it rolls on the place where no spectators always stand on the outside of the corner and that is for young safety also talking about that there's been bugging me in my head I forgot to ask it when we were talking about the stages it has got to be the terrain because you look at the African terrain you cannot compare to the Monte Carlo terrain you cannot compare to the Argentina terrain what are the drivers saying when they come to Africa going to the safari and that terrain is not what they are used to before safari rally was held in April in a small team at home Hista was safari rally Hista was holy net Hista was rain so unless it's wet safari so now it's the same impression they get the foreign drivers they come into a country where could be wet but June July is not a rainy month also but the stages there are they lose they are not snow like Monte Carlo which is going on but they are slippery and they are fast so everything has been graded old set so the atmosphere is totally different it's in Africa and that is where it is going to be tricky now another one we are going to talk about is the commercialization of the sport because which is a big one and one of the people we realize that has to be in town every time the president of FI age in town is in town every time Finias and all that is the world rally promoter and advertisement and commercialization is key how key is it for the safari rally it's very important because that's where the money comes in advertising and let me tell you with the rally car and again my education that if you're looking for a sponsor then a sponsor wants to give you 10,000 shilling so put that sticker on top of the roof who is going to see it it's only the helicopter but the most important colours of the car of the car are the colours the front wheel so when the car is coming sideways the photographer is there you will get the advertising there or the windscreen so your bargaining power is based on the windscreen advertising or the corners of the car it can be 100,000, 200,000, 300,000 whatever 1000 and that with that you guarantee that the newspapers are going to use your your picture be nice to people there are a lot of money being used and has been already pumped into the organization of this particular event how key is it in terms of generating revenue and income so in a sports tourism we will also be a factor a catasov why early championship coming into the country just like we indicated earlier hotels are already booked even businessmen are warming up to the event considering they know probably something will come their way how huge is it for business and even for income generation it's big, it's massive because the country itself benefits but it is looking at the vast area the country is being exposed the bigger picture the country is being exposed to the world the tourists are coming to admire they are coming to spend the money the government is putting in nearly 500 million shillings that in itself is a huge thing then the teams are coming here the booking hotels are paying for that the drivers expenses and all that there is direct income and direct income coming in it's very important that the government is committed it's important it's for Kenya it's not for me for you it's for Kenya we want to promote Kenya we want to promote Kenya through the sports facility and we are there Phineas I think that's enough response to our friends from other sports in this plane so we've been complaining that it rarely pumps resources into them I think it's about value for your man you've seen how magical open whenever it happens even Amina, Uruk, Ineta show up at the venue on Sunday it's because of what they are looking for it's reciprocative so this time round it looks like it's always a business of butter government and these federations communication has to be good fortunately enough the government has always been at the center of the safari president why or on the right they've been there why are they there because they are helping promoting the country the sport how did the late GT very good we rallied sent teams a very good person he is the son of president he was a Toyota Celica driver and he performed tremendously well commendable results he and Ibrahim Choge they formed very nice partnership another one I have to ask the WRC drivers the 18 drivers we have also got an African leg that is going to be running concurrently with the safari how is that going to work this is the world rally championship and then we have got the African rally championship Kenya is part of the African rally championship there are 6 countries in the African continent which are going to be hosting events Rwanda is the first event Kenya will be in April Kenya the rally is known as Ikweta rally so what they are going to do they are going to use the safari rally route safari rally timing and everything it will be like a testing ground for the safari rally so the Ikweta rally in April drivers from the African continent will come here and this will also give chance to the organizers to see where they have gone wrong over there so that will be like a grand rehearsal for the main event is it all systems go how we ready are we in the event that now we supposed to host this event tomorrow are we ready let me tell you personally you can authoritatively state we are ready we are ready because I personally said my younger brother Anwar CD is part of the team and whenever we ask where is he he is in Neversha and I get the updates also because of my rally news and all that and they have really worked they have really worked and they are also looking forward to the event tomorrow may it in June but yeah they worked with the FIA the Kenyan government the officials here and it's a big team so you have had it here actually the safari rally it's all systems go come June 23rd to 27th it is going to be happening here in Kenyan Nairobi and Neversha the end is at health gate end is on the outside it's all going to be on the Neversha side by the outskirts of Neversha and that's the centre point if you have never been to that place start thinking that's a good question have you booked yourself a hotel for me I've made for me I've made here my accreditation you need to book now now the teams first of all you need to register with the WRC yes for press accreditation and once you've done that then they should be able to look at where people are going to sleep but it's not going to be easy but that safari that is safari safari rally safari rally has been in my blood and I'm still what word of inspiration as we finish yes and you are parting short safari rally is a unique event which has given me a lifetime history yes I've seen the world I've got lots of people who follow me I've got my academy as a result of this safari rally I will see the rally academy the academy itself is not a big thing it's me my secretary, my telefonist is in my brain I just have to walk in there and I lecture and that's what I do I'm proud and I thank God that I've been given this opportunity where I'm now able to express it to the nearest person, spectator friend who wants to be a rally driver for me there was nobody I did it myself and I thank God for that now you're a step ahead you've got me, use me like I said I've got students in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda Burundi, Kenya Tuta, Mionki the motorsports personality of the year, my student I can say that with pride she was nobody she didn't know she is the FIA women representative in the world motorsport council the only African lady from Kenya she is my student she is the secretary of the safari rally so ladies are there they really come up real dismal also real dismal real dismal is a good navigator Shamir Yusuf Eric Bengi Joe Mushiri lots and lots of people who have come out of the Asara group Joe Mushiri is a broadcaster no, rally driver alright amazing work done by yourself congratulations for well done job and keep doing to ensure that you empower the young people especially those who are passionate about rallying of course we've been talking to Abdul CD former now navigator he's been actively involved in matters why rally championship ahead of the big event 4 to 5 months from now as you speak of course the last time it happened was in 2002 we were still budding and we were just coming up we were getting the news updates from our parents but of course glad to be here one more time to watch it this time round as it happens of course we will be kicking off from KICS up to Kasarani and the ultimate end will be at the health gates what an event we're looking for we've seen how president himself has been committed towards ensuring that it's a success Amina Muhammad the CES and even Kenya Motorsport federation president our good friend Finia Skimati working day and night to ensure that it's all successful when you know foreign best rally drivers come in Kenya to participate alongside the home base just like Baldev Chaga said one day it will be a game changer for Kenya Safari because this is the touchline and thank you Abdul Sidi for coming through it's been an honor having you on board and we look forward you know seeing you coming through on frequent basis so that you enlighten us and I know Zoro Robert will disturb you during the main event Abdul what should I ask actually me I will be getting notes prior before you go on air so that you just tell me what I asked because you have more information than what we ask guys know for a navigator quick one for a navigator it's not a map it's page notes every 20, 30, 40, 50 meters there is an instruction medium right, slow left brow, ditch, bridge everything is there so every 50, 100 meters and you are doing 200 kph my friend you are singing the driver is dancing to your music and if you are late you will be calling your mother in that car what a punchline and what a way to finish of this particular interview and of course that has been Abdul Sidi thank you for tuning in we still on until 3 o'clock don't go we stay tuned it's the touchline on Y254 continue talking to us touchline Y254 with Matas Kotbiro and all this football tournament happening in town Sunday tomorrow is when finals will taking place and of course we shall be previewing all that and more