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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 29418, member: 2262"] Rally fans have packed Naivasha for the fourth World Rally Championship event. The competition started Friday when President William Ruto waved the flag. Local businesses expect more tourists during this three-day rally. Hotels, camping sites, and Airbnbs report full bookings, helping them recover from slow business earlier this year. David Mwangi from the Nakuru County Tourism Association expects over 100,000 rally lovers despite tough economic times. He believes the rally makes Kenya and Naivasha attractive destinations because of friendly locals, nice weather, beautiful lakes, and great food. Hundreds of security officers work at key points to manage traffic, clear paths for rally cars, and keep fans safe. Josiah Odongo, Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner, banned parties and street selling along Moi South Lake Road, which leads to rally routes. He mentioned that 800 police officers were deployed for the event and asked people to follow traffic rules. Many fans showed up at rally spots regardless of the hot sun and dusty roads to watch drivers compete. Visitors came from Uganda and Rwanda, despite the hot weather, to cheer for their favorite drivers. These fans wore colorful outfits, carried their national flags, danced, and cheered as cars zoomed past. James Wenangi from Uganda said they looked forward to the yearly event, praising Kenyans for welcoming African neighbors to enjoy the sport together. Adam Namono noted the hot, dusty conditions would not stop them from watching this global competition. He saw fewer fans compared to last year but expected more would arrive soon. He looked forward to evening activities for additional fun. Grace Wanjiku, a Kenyan fan, said the competition brought back memories of the classic Safari Rally and gave younger people a chance to experience it. Wanjiku added that the four-year-old event puts Kenya on the world map and showcases its hospitality to millions of fans worldwide. Mary Njeri, a trader, expected more people to arrive during evening hours and on the weekend as fans travel from Nairobi. Paul Kiragu, another trader from Nairobi, said business remained slow, but final preparations continued. Shiku Kamau expressed hope that visitor numbers would increase despite the village's location being far from Naivasha town. She wanted business seekers to visit through Sunday when the rally ends. This year features 10 top-level Rally1 cars and 16 WRC2 entries with famous drivers like Elfyn Evans, Kalle Rovanperä, Ott Tänak, and Thierry Neuville. [/QUOTE]

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