Autosport
Meru University of Science and Technology yesterday played host to the sixth series of Autocross motorsport attracting about 35 participants from all over the country and thousands of motorsport enthusiasts.
The event, the first of its kind in the County, was jointly organised by the Meru Motorsports Association (MMA) in collaboration with the Kenya Motorsports Federation (KMSF).
Meru Motorsport and Kenya Motorsports Federation Director Nkubu Amwari said their decision to hold the event in Meru was aimed at attracting residents into the sport which is one of the fastest-growing sports in the Country. He said the response from the residents was overwhelming and this had encouraged them to bring more of such events to the county.
“We are very appreciative to the people of Meru as well as the Meru University of Science and Technology for hosting us for this event. We are appealing to the residents to get on board and enjoy the sport that is fast growing in the country,” said Amwari.
One of the motor vehicles during the Sixth series of autocross motorsports held at Meru University of Science and Technology.
“We are looking forward to the county hosting World Rally Championships provided we get a good stage and adequate hotel facilities. We will host more of these and even better rallies in Meru,” he added. The University Vice-Chancellor Professor Romanus Odhiambo said by hosting the event, they were aiming at creating a Centre of excellence in sports where people come and enjoy themselves as well as showcase their talents in sports.
“We are very grateful to the sponsors, participants, and everyone who participated in this. We will make this an annual event at the university and cover the whole country”. We also want to create a very robust sports interest among the community and all Kenyans and besides this, we are also thinking about mountain running on Mount Kenya among other sports”, said Professor Odhiambo.
He said they were inspired to host the event by the fact that they have the space and that the students are interested in all kinds of games that they offer at the institution. He appealed to all leaders including the Ministry of Sports to support such initiatives and have an academy in the institution to nurture young talents, especially in motorsports.
Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba who had brought his son to participate in the championships said he was delighted to be in Meru for the sixth round of the championships whose reception was very encouraging. He said the decision to hold the championships in various parts of the country was made to ensure that motorsport becomes a nationwide event.
Former Sports Cabinet Secretary standing near a cab his son Cheche Amwamba used during the championships.
“I am glad to see that the competition here is the top class like the junior class where the gap between them is just seconds. This is the way to go to take motorsports to the grassroots in different parts of the country and offer different people of all sorts of backgrounds an opportunity to participate,” said Namwamba.
Namwamba said, as a parent, he accompanies his son Cheche Amwamba everywhere he competes in both rally cross and autocross. “I am at each round of these events one because I am an enthusiast of motorsports and as a parent to encourage my son to compete. I also love encouraging the next generation of top motorsports talents since it’s a bit disappointing when you watch the WRC safari rally and it is all about foreign drivers,” said Namwamba.
He said they were looking forward to a generation of young Kenyans who can walk in the footsteps of Patrick Njiru, and Shakar Meta among others, and this could only happen by investing in youngsters, and allowing them to compete at the earliest age possible.
Namwamba however said that motorsport is a very expensive affair especially assembling, and maintaining the machines, moving around as well as maintaining the whole support team, a reason as to why it must receive huge corporate support.
