FIA report recommends major overhaul of Pearl of Africa Rally

KAMPALA.

The cat is finally let out of the bag. Eleven months after the 2016 Shell Pearl of Africa Rally ended and two months before the 18th edition of the event gets under way, an FIA report by Richard Leeke has slammed the organisers (FMU) and wants the event overhauled.

The report by the South African is damaging to the continued running of one of the annual leg of the Africa Rally Championship (ARC).

While Daily Monitor has not been able to see the full report, Leeke’s remarks about the event look like those of a frustrated person about some issues that have previously been raised in the past but they keep on cropping up.

He observes that there are a few points that have not been addressed in the last two or three years in the running of the event. He states: “Why do we, as observers, give up our free time, not only to attend the event, but many hours afterwards to put up our observer report and feeling on the paper.”

Incidentally the South African was the same FIA observer during 2015 Pearl Rally when the event scored 873 pts. Last year, the event scored 745. While in 2014, the FIA observer Herminder ‘Muna’ Singh from Zambia scored Pearl 821.5 pts. Leeke was the FIA observer during the Kenya Safari Rally last month where the event scored 832pts.

Fall out of FMU executive members
The organisation of the annual event has caused a lot of friction and division among the FMU executive members.

The fall out between some of the current executive members and Jack Wavamunno, the immediate former FMU boss, came as a result of the way the 2015 Pearl was organised. You may recall a separate committee headed by Geoffrey Kihuguru was tasked by then Jack Wavamunno-executive to organise the event, something which did not go down well with some members who felt side-lined.

Soon after the event, the then Vice President Dusman Okee wrote a stinging email blasting the organisation of the event. The email, widely circulated amongst the rally fraternity and media, suggested at the time that some of the organisers should never come near the sport again. So it was no surprise that Wavamunno faced a stiff challenge during last year’s FMU election where he was beaten by one vote (33-32) to lose to Okee, who was his deputy.

However, it now seems putting up a separate committee to organise the event was the best option looking at the three reports on the table. The 2014 and 2015 event scored more highly than the 2016 edition.

The Leeke report cited among others the observer vehicle not being correctly equipped, poor quality of scutineering, a low quality of road books including maps, no radio system and an incomplete safety plan.

It also has some comments by the competitors or event ‘customers’. The competitors complained about “the lack of prior information to facilitate their plans with bulletins issued at the last minute.” The competitors also had no kind word for the route describing it as very rough, like an off-road 4X4 event.

They were happy with safety at the start and finish points but hit out at safety plans in competitive sections. The official rally time differed from stage to stage (clocks), another area that did not go down well with them.

Drivers also had concerns about the constant change of the itinerary, results delaying, and to cap it all the prize-giving taking place towards midnight.
The observer was irked that after recee of the route, suggestions were given with some carried out and others ignored - something which would lead to trouble later in the event.

For Day 1 (Busiika SSS), the organization was described as abysmal, and Leeke wondered if there was any Assistant Clerk of the Course (COC) looking after the stage. It was left to the FIA steward and Leeke to intervene to ensure the SSS was run as planned. The safety at Busiika left a lot to be desired.

For Day 2 (Mubende) compliments were given to the marshal point and medical team. But the results team had problems initially with no electricity/generator in the field. Lack of communication between the COC and the results team caused problems.

After the Pearl Rally last year, Okee, the FMU boss was quoted by Daily Monitor blasting the COC for the very rough route. Okee was also critical of his assistants at Busiika.

Last week during the launch of the FMU Challenge Rally this weekend Okee said: “We need to study the route and have it tested. The Pearl of Africa Rally means a lot to us. The feedback we received from the world governing body last year was that the roads were the worst part of the report. But the rest we scored very highly.” Leeke’s comments, however, gives a bleak picture of the event.

In one of his other remarks, Leeke gave the benefit of doubt to the COC and team as it seems they had planned for an event in Mukono area (some 80km from Kampala not 150km like Mubende) which would have had the event run on ‘ private roads’ not like the area it ran in - on public roads.

Recommendations
The South Africa Observer recommended that the National Sporting Authority (ASN) and the management of rallying in Uganda take a serious look at how they run their premier event. The senior members of the organising team need to be given a job description of their responsibility and take accountability of their position.

The planning including the determining of the route needs to be started well in advance well ahead of the event for the smooth run of the rally. Leeke recommended an overhaul of how the Pearl Rally is run.
With the report being kept under wraps todate, it is hard to see how the organisation can be improved given that none of the organisers have seen it.

In the aftermath of it all, the FIA has sent another tough Observer in South African veteran COC Willie du Plessis to check on improvements to the event in 2017.
Emphasising the seriousness of the situation, the Technical Delegate is also from South Africa.

The no-nonsense Chris Birkin, who was in charge for the 2017 Safari Rally, has had a run-in with several crews from Uganda.

Areas where FMU failed

*The respect to the FIA Officials-late presentation of phones, sim cards, rally bags, maps etc.
*Observer vehicle not correctly equipped
*Timing Equipment
* HQ layout
*Quality/level of scrutineering-including prior advice from FIA Technical Delegate
* Quality/of road books including maps
* No FIV/MIV/tech vehicle for extraction
*Safety cars 0/00-lack of emergency lights/sirens
*Lack of Intermediate/midpoint monitoring in stages
* No Radio communication system
* Notice board

Driver’s comments
*Route-routes very rough like an offroad4x4 event
* Official rally time differed from stage to stage (clocks)
* Constant change of itinerary
* Foreign crews only given accommodation for two nights and 1 person only?
*Why was the helicopter used to ferry competitors who were out of the event back in Kampala while the event was still in progress?
*Why do they not have jump start beams & F/F beams, surely flags are old fashioned.
*Competitors complained about spectators standings in the roads abd on corners-need to specify and man spectator points.
* Prize-giving near midnight, was disaster.

How the ARC events scored

2014 - Pearl Rally - 821 pts
2015 - Pearl Rally - 873
2016 - Pearl Rally – 745
2017 - Kenya Safari Rally - 832