Lioness target ten crews at inaugural all-women rally

Veteran rally driver and former KBC news producer Pauline Sheghu-Mwanzia is back on the drivers seat as she takes on the Kasarani Special Stage on Sunday 27 March in a big way. 

Driving in the inaugural all-women Lioness rally, which is targeting 10 drivers and navigators, Sheghu is hoping to bring back her yester-years' form. Sheghu was the first Kenyan woman driver to finish a Safari Rally in 2011. 

The all-women rally, expected to curtain-raise the Equator Rally that will take part from 1 to 3 April in Naivasha, will also have Sports CS Amina Mohamed behind the wheel.

Navigators, security personnel and all officials at the event will be women at an event aimed at promoting women's interest in the sport.

“We aim to empower all women as we ride for pride. We are calling upon all women to come out and participate as we create history in motorsports," organisers said in a previous interview. 

As part of the preparations ahead of the event, organisers hosted a fundraiser on 5 March in Gigiri.

The funds raised from this event will be used to preserve the environment by planting trees as ways of reducing the carbon footprint.

According to the founder of The Lions Rally Club, Lisa Christoffersen, the initiative is geared towards empowering and encouraging women to participate in rally.

 “It is not only going to be only female drivers and navigators, but also officials, scrutineers, fuellers and security. Everybody on the ground will be a woman,” said Christoffersen.