High Court Issues Ruling On 2025 Safari Rally, Hours Before Official Start
The court ruling is expected to raise concerns about its organization, leaving stakeholders awaiting further direction on the way forward.
Marvin Chege 
The 2025 World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally is facing a hurdle following a High Court ruling that nullified an agreement between the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF), a critical part as far as the international event is concerned.
Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Anne Nyoike ruled that the agreement, signed on January 25, 2025, by suspended KMSF Chairman Maina Muturi, was legally invalid as it was executed in violation of a court order prohibiting him from handling the federation’s affairs. “As a result, I find the agreement executed by the respondent to be null and void for lack of legal basis. The application is in essence allowed and the respondent is hereby held to be in contempt of court,” said the magistrate.
As a result, Muturi was ordered to appear in court on March 25, 2025, to explain why he should not be held in contempt and committed to civil jail for defying a court order.
The court ruled that by signing the agreement, Muturi had unlawfully engaged in the federation’s affairs, despite an existing court order barring him from managing KMSF. It further noted that Muturi did not dispute the existence of the orders restricting him from involvement in the federation’s management.
The magistrate stated that Muturi failed to provide any evidence proving he signed the agreement in a personal capacity rather than on behalf of the federation.
In the application, KMSF Director James Kahumbura informed the court that an order issued on December 18 prohibited Muturi from interfering in the federation’s management until the case was heard and determined.
However, on January 25, Muturi proceeded to sign an agreement with FIA on behalf of KMSF without the federation’s authorization. In his defence, he argued that the applicant in the case was not the federation itself but a single director who, he claimed, was attempting to usurp KMSF’s corporate identity.
“I must note that the respondent does not dispute that he executed this agreement, he contends that the applicant, is not really Kenya Motor Sports but one of the Directors, James Kahumbura, who has allegedly usurped the corporate identity of the applicant to prosecute his case against the respondent (Muturi),” the court said.
The court ruling is expected to raise concerns about its organization, leaving stakeholders awaiting further direction on the way forward. Still, some argue that the ruling has been overtaken by events given that the shakedown stage took place earlier on Wednesday.
Official updates at the time of publishing this story show no cancellation, suggesting the event will happen as planned, from March 20 to March 23, 2025.
WRC 2025 commences on March 20 with an official flag-off that will take place outside the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and City Hall. City Hall Way was closed earlier this week to facilitate the opening ceremony.
In fresh changes, the Super Special Stage Kasarani head-to-head will run in reverse direction compared to previous years. The action then moves to Naivasha and Nakuru counties for the rest of the weekend, with drivers expected to battle it out in arguably the most gruesome rally in the WRC calendar.
Earlier this month, the Cabinet approved the hosting of the 2025 Safari Rally. This court ruling could however put Kenya's plans for an extension of the rally in jeopardy as it is currently contracted until 2026.
The Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi. /EACC
A WRC car in action during shakedown on March 19, 2025 ahead of the Safari Rally 2025. /WRC
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