By MWANGALA LISELI –
MADISON insurance has pumped a whopping K150,000 worth of insurance cover for any risks during the next leg of the Africa Rally Championship (ARC), Automotive Equipment Zambia International Motor Rally which revs off in Lusaka today.
The insurance company has also given Mohammed Essa a cheque of K150,000 as a sponsorship package for the Zambian chapter of ARC.
The  Automative Equipment Zambia International Rally starts this afternoon with a spectator stage at Heroes National Stadium in Lusaka before shifting to Graham Rae Farm in Chisamba tomorrow and then wind up at Barn Motel in Chongwe on Sunday.
This international event has received a sponsorship worth K275,000 from four companies that splashed the cash yesterday.
After Madison Insurance staked K150,000 as liability cover for any risks during the rally, the event also received K45,000 sponsorship from Barn Motel, while CC systems offered 28 radios for rally marshals and other technical matters at a cost of K40,000.
There was still room for Gomes Haulage to dangle K30,000 in prize monies with the winner assured of K8,000, while the runner-up guaranteed of K6,000 with K4,000, K2,000 and K1,000 going to third, fourth and fifth-placed drivers, respectively.
Gomes will also offer K1,000 each to the competitors that hit the power stages and a further K1,000 each for the three classes and another K1,000 for the best teams.
Zambia Motor Sports Association (ZMSA) vice-president Sam Ching’ambu said the association had so far raised K750,000, surpassing its K500,000 budget by a staggering 50 per cent.
Ching’andu said ZMSA would ensure that the money received would be used for the intended purposes and that it would minimise any risks during the event.
“We are happy to say we have raised K750,000 which is past our budget and we will ensure that the rally is safe and that the money we have got is used for intended purposes,” he said.
Meanwhile, Essa said he was ready for the rally and was looking forward to winning the title for the fourth time.
Kenyan driver Jaspreet Chatte said he was targeting to acquire more points for the continental championship.