Tag: 2023 KCB Rally news

KCB prioritizes Sustainability at the 2023 WRC Rally

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

The 2023 World Rally Championship (WRC) Rally held in Naivasha from the 22nd to the 25th of June 2023, presented an opportunity to showcase that thrilling events can embrace environmental responsibility.

In the fast-paced world of motorsport, where excitement, speed, and adrenaline reign supreme, KCB, took the center stage to lead the charge towards a greener future. The thrill of watching rally cars zoom through challenging terrains captivates fans around the globe.

However, it is essential to recognize that such events also have negative implications towards the environment. The anticipated emissions, waste generated, and ecological disruptions caused by motorsport activities are significant concerns that cannot be ignored.

Showcasing sustainability at the 2023 WRC held in Soysambu, Naivasha; KCB tent with repurposed furniture and animal artifacts made from recycled metal, embracing the astonishing beauty of waste transformation.

For this reason, days leading to the rally, KCB joined forces with its sponsored drivers, planting a total of 500 trees in Naivasha Boys Boarding Primary School.

This act symbolized commitment to offsetting the rally’s carbon footprint and forged a powerful bond between the drivers and the environment. Beyond the checkered flag, this act instilled a lasting sense of environmental responsibility.

Before the rally, the Bank made a deliberate move to educate and empower its suppliers to integrate ESG practices into their business during the rally and in the future. This was done in line with KCB Group Suppliers’ Code of Conduct to educate the suppliers on how they can mainstream sustainability into their activities for the rally.

Promoting waste segregation at the 2023 WRC held in Naivasha; Color-coded bins positioned at KCB tents for effective waste collection, recycling and proper disposal.

The Code of Conduct aims to have our suppliers run a sustainable business that contributes to the welfare of society and the environment while realizing profits. It requires suppliers to adhere to labor and human rights, ensure a healthy and safe working environment, to have an effective environmental policy and Emergency preparedness and response.

Sustainability was woven into every aspect of the supply chain, ensuring that the event embraced environmentally conscious principles.

As the rally roared to life, the suppliers’ dedication to sustainability took center stage as they played a pivotal role in transforming the rally site into an eco-friendly haven exemplifying the principles of a circular economy.

In a circular economy, the goal is to minimize waste and maximize the value of resources by keeping them in use for as long as possible. Instead of following a linear “take-make-dispose” model, a circular economy aims to close the loop, creating a system where materials and products are reused, repaired, or recycled to create new value.

With ingenious creativity, they repurposed and used recycled materials like pallets, old oil drums, and tires, metal creating stunning decorations and furniture. This not only reduced waste but also showcased the astonishing beauty and functionality that waste and sustainable practices can achieve.

The event set-up was truly remarkable, catching everyone’s attention with strategically positioned eye-catching SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) boxes at the KCB tents. These stylish cubes not only provided seating spaces but also symbolized the goals embraced by KCB.

Serving as a constant reminder, they emphasized the broader social and environmental objectives throughout the event.

Waste management was a priority, with color-coded bins placed throughout the rally site for proper waste segregation and collection. KCB collaborated with WRC marshals to ensure effective waste segregation and collection. This streamlined approach facilitated proper collection, sorting, and safe disposal and recycling of the waste.

KCB Tents at the 2023 WRC Rally showcase sustainable furniture from recycled wood and pallets.

After the event concluded, the unwavering commitment to sustainability was evident as the Naivasha ground was left immaculate. Every piece of waste was diligently collected and disposed correctly.

This thorough process showcased KCB’s and her partners’ dedication to protecting the planet demonstrating enduring environmental sustainability initiatives from beginning to end.

The successful combination of excitement and environmental consciousness in motorsport events has been proven. The efforts of KCB serve as an inspiring testament, encouraging others to embrace sustainability and prioritize the well-being of our planet.

Now is the time to accelerate towards a greener future, leaving behind a trail of excitement and sustainability in every aspect of our lives.

Simba Wa Kenya: Legendary Driver Who Raced In Reverse Gear, and Won!

Posted on by Kibaki Muthamia

The infectious magic in the world of motorsports began with the iconic East African Rally Championship in the 70’s and 80’s. A glorious event that pitted man and machine against extreme terrain, unpredictable weather and wild animals.

Race cars were purposely built for the rough and tumble, featured little of the safety, comfort or technology bells now basic in a modern family car. But, the tough event created hard, gritty sportsmen.

And, stories that will never die. Stories of excellence built painstakingly through experience and initiative to overcome obstacles. The era’s most endearing rally legend is Joginder Singh – The Flying Sikh – a driver so prolific that President Jomo Kenyatta would christen ‘Simba wa Kenya’.

Legendary brothers Joginder and Jaswant Singh celebrating a past win. (file image)

Joginder Singh was born in Kericho, on 9th February 1932. He dived into motorsports aged 26 years to rack up over 60 wins in the East African Rally, and three top five finishes in the Southern Cross Rally in Australia during the 1970s.

It is, however, exploits and escapades in the Safari Rally that made Joginder Singh a legend. The Flying Sikh has a record three wins under his belt: 1965, 1974 and 1976.

Joginder Singh’s record of 19 finishes in 22 attempts in the Kenyan Safari Rally is considered an unprecedented feat of consistency in what has infamously reigned as the world’s toughest rally, where the attrition rate could exceed 90%. It was a chest-thumping feat to just complete the rally.

For instance, the 1968 event had 81 crews on the starting line. Only 7 crews – Joginder’s included – completed the event to earn the moniker ‘The Unsinkable Seven’. The entire field of 74 crews were stranded on the Mau Escarpment, along the western rim of the Great Rift Valley.

Joginder’s acumen started to shine in the event’s 13th edition, in 1965. The legend’s car was branded No.1 – now, both numbers are termed as ‘unlucky’. Sports and superstition are birds of the same feather. Joginder’s co-driver was his brother Jaswant – the pair had rebuilt a retired race car, a Volvo PV544. Against incredible odds, they had won.

It is the 1971 event performance that still evokes nostalgia. Joginder’s Ford Escort became problematic on Day One. The gear box jammed, only the reverse gear working. Deciding to return to his service crew, Joginder drove in reverse gear for four and half miles against oncoming cars!

 “All this time, about 70 more Safari cars were coming flat out towards me as I was reversing,” he later recalled.

“On reaching the service point, we found the crew had gone. Only two mechanics remained. We just opened up the gearbox and stripped it to bits. The gear selector had broken. There were no spare parts. We bent the levers in the gears so as to stick them in. It took a lot of hammering.

This took a lot of precious time. As soon as we got back on the road, we let go at full speed. We started overtaking the tail-enders. We were the 100th car at one stage and we just kept overtaking them.”

Joginder would overtake more than 100 cars – to finish THIRD!

The Flying Sikh eventually retired in 1980, earned two Kenya’s Motor Sportsman of the Year title (1970 and 1976). Sadly, the Shujaa passed away on Mashujaa Day 20th October 2013 in the UK.

The 2023 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) holds the seventh leg of the series, dubbed KCB WRC Safari Rally on June 22-25 at the lakeside town of Naivasha.

Expected to defend the Kenyan leg is the WRC series champion Kalle Rovanpera.

Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) is the official sponsor with an estimated Ksh150M fees injected as support for the 2023 WRC Safari Rally event. The annual event features highly for motorsports enthusiasts, with lots of outdoor camping and family fun activities.