A group of former government employees behind the annual Safari Rally championship have penned a letter asking President William Ruto to intervene and expedite the release of their remuneration.
The team, which claimed that it was instrumental in the return of the event in 2019, asserted that the members had been unfairly relieved of their duties without adequate remuneration.
In the letter, which mentioned the Head of State, the members accused the Ministry of Sports of withholding their salaries, pending allowances, and gratuities amounting to as much as Ksh30 million.
They further argued that the Ministry had failed to honour the payments claiming that the affected individuals were instrumental in the execution of the Safari Rally between 2019 and 2023.
"It is with great urgency that we call upon the H.E William Ruto to intervene and ensure that justice is served for these dedicated individuals. Their unwavering commitment and hard work should not go unrecognized, and it is imperative that the ministry upholds its responsibilities towards them," read the statement in part.
"We trust and hope that the President will work towards finding a swift resolution to alleviate the plight of the affected staff."
"It is imperative that the Ministry of Sports recognises the sacrifices and dedication of the Ex-WRC Safari Rally staff and acts swiftly to address these grievous injuries. The onus now rests on your esteemed office to right this wrong and restore faith in the system," the former workers added.
A representative from the Ministry of Sports, however, assured that a plan to release all pending payments for workers, former employees and suppliers was in motion.
The Ministry is currently verifying the legitimacy of the claims lodged before releasing the funds.
"The Ministry has not refused to pay any pending bill. Certain paperwork and evaluations needed to be done to ascertain that the claim was the correct figure because suppliers who were not paid in the earlier events," the representative explained.
The rally, an international sport, made a grand return in 2021 after enduring a hiatus of more than a decade. The event had last taken place in 2002.
The first Safari Rally took place in 1953 as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and gradually grew into a championship.
