Maxine Wahome
Maxine Wahome has been in the news recently after she was arrested in connection with an alleged assault on her boyfriend Asad ‘Kalulu’ Khan, who died this week. Wahome was released on Ksh100,000 cash bail.
Prior to that, she was the first Kenyan woman to win a WRC race when she won the WRC3 Category at the WRC Safari Rally in June.
Her father, who was also a rally driver, first introduced her to the sport when she was a child.
She began driving cars at the age of 15, and after acquiring her first buggy at age 20, she began competing in amateur motorsports.
Her late boyfriend Khan was instrumental in her rise to prominence in the rallying world. In a previous interview, Wahome identified him as her coach.
“He (Asad Khan) actually gave me his car to drive once I left the buggy, so I had his car. We shared it to do the races. And, yeah, he eventually built me the current rally car that I’m using,” she stated.
Kenyan telecommunication giant Safaricom was her main sponsor when she made history by becoming the first woman to win the WRC3 category. Safaricom gave Wahome a Ksh 1 million cash award as compensation for the victory. Safaricom also supported Wahome in previous KNRC races, including the 2021 KNRC Voi Rally, in which it provided an additional Ksh 2 million in sponsorship. Additionally, Maxine has received sponsorship from Kenya Airways and Betika.
With her recent controversy surrounding the death of Khan some Kenyans have demanded that the firms cut ties with her over the Khan case, while others have urged patience as they await the outcome of the legal proceedings.
Also Read: Inside Betty Kyalo’s Luxurious Car Collection [Photos]
