By Mandere Onyinkwa
As the 2026 WRC Safari Rally rolled into Naivasha, the lakeside town transformed into a hive of activity.
The roar of engines mingled with the hum of vendors calling out their wares, spectators snapping photos, and children chasing kites through the crowds.
Street corners, parking lots, and spectator stages became temporary marketplaces, as rally fans from across Kenya poured in to witness drivers navigate the country’s rugged terrain.
For many small business owners, the rally weekend has become more than just a sporting spectacle — it’s a peak trading season that can make or break their year.
Ayub Mwangi, a tailor from Nakuru, swapped his sewing kit for a display of kites, vuvuzelas, and hats, setting up shop in Naivasha.
“I have never missed a rally since it returned to Kenya in 2021,” he says.
“Every year I travel to Naivasha because the business here is good. A single kite sells for around Ksh 500, which is more than I might make in a day from tailoring.”
To stock up for the crowds, Ayub relied on a Taasi Pochi loan, a type of Pochi La Biashara credit available to Safaricom merchants.
The instant loans, ranging from Ksh 1,000 to Ksh 250,000, can be accessed via USSD 334# or the M-PESA App, with flexible repayment periods of 7, 14, or 30 days.
“The support has truly paid off,” he says.
For Maria Wanjiru, who runs Shiro Nyama Choma in Roysambu, Nairobi, the rally is now a carefully planned business venture.
Positioned near the popular Sleeping Warrior spectator stage, she has focused on selling nyama choma to satisfy the hungry crowds.
“Last year I tried selling sodas and it didn’t work very well. This year, the response has been amazing,” she says.
Digital payments, particularly Lipa Na M-PESA Buy Goods, have made it easier to manage high volumes of transactions.
“Customers can pay quickly, and I don’t have to worry about change,” Maria explains.
Her assistant, Job Ogamba, adds, “The turnout has been incredible. Events like this create real opportunities for small traders.”
For newcomers like 25-year-old Ian Juma from Thika, the rally offered a chance to expand beyond his daily boda boda work.
Moving his smokie cart between spectator stages, he sold smokies, boiled eggs, tea, and soda.
“I took a risk coming here, but it has been worth it. The crowds are huge, and business has been good,” he says.
Even established vendors like Joel Macharia of Linkers Butchery in Kiambu noted the rally’s ongoing economic impact.
“Some of my friends have done extremely well this year. Large events like this always bring opportunities,” he says, highlighting the convenience of digital payments in crowded spaces.
Since its return in 2021, the Safari Rally has not only reignited Kenya’s motorsport scene but also become a seasonal engine for commerce.
