Kenya Gazette Notice No. 8268 marks a turning point in African motorsport. Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has appointed five-time Safari Rally champion Carl “Flash” Tundo as CEO of the WRC Safari Rally Project, effective June 5, 2026 placing homegrown talent at the helm of one of motorsport’s most iconic events.
Tundo’s credentials are hard to argue with. His five Safari Rally titles (2004, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2018) and his 2009 IRC victory against factory-backed international teams give him rare technical authority in the boardroom. As recently as 2025, he remained a competitive force winning the Africa Rally Championship category at the WRC Safari Rally, navigated by longtime co-driver Tim Jessop, and finishing seventh overall in the WRC2 class. He had already demonstrated his management chops as Head of Secretariat earlier this year, bridging the gap between corporate sponsors and competitors.
The appointment comes at a pivotal moment. At the 2026 closing ceremony, President Ruto declared it the last Safari Rally to be anchored by public funding from 2027, the private sector takes full financial and operational responsibility. Tundo’s commercial mandate is therefore immediate: secure Kenya’s WRC calendar slot against bids from emerging hosts, build private-sector backing, and transform the Safari Rally into a self-sustaining economic engine.
By handing a champion the keys, Kenya is betting that the person who mastered the rally’s limits on the road is best placed to push its limits in the market.
