Absalom Ashwani: Meet Navigator Giving Directions To Top Rally Drivers

Absalom Aswani is a safari rally navigator, having held the position for over 15 years.

Also known as Abu, he made his safari rally debut in Alril 2008 at the Eldoret Rally in an Ex-Azar Subaru Legacy with Raymond Kiruki.

Aswani describes his role in safari rally races as his dream job having grown up admiring it.

Here is hi story as told by WoK.

As a navigator, Aswani is tasked with organizing the team, reading notes and guiding the driver to ensure that he’s doing everything right.

“The good thing about navigating is seeing different people from, different cars, getting to see different drivers,” he said.

He is also responsible for his safety and that of his driver during races.

“Anyone can mess up but it is how you react that will determine the direction of things. I’ve always owned up and been clear with my position that helps the driver to know what to do

“A rally navigator is the chief timekeeper and monitors these times down to the second. The most important job is making sure a driver and car is when and where they are supposed to be during a rally, he said.

Aswani is also running a program where he is mentoring budding safari rally drivers and navigators.

“I’ve mentored like five drivers that I’ve sat with. I’ve mentored people not only in Kenya here but also in Tanzania,” he noted.

He won the Tanga Rally 2013, finished second in the 2014 Moshi Rally and the Mkwawa Rally in Morogoro, Tanzania.

Aswani finished third in ARC Dsm in Tanzania and the 2021 KCB Rally.

Other races that he has participated include Guru Nanak Rally of 2013 where he finished 7th and 2021 East Africa Safari Classic Rally where he finished 25th.