By Suleiman Mbatiah
Veteran motorsport journalist is reading foul play and possible sabotage after a burglary at his home in South C, Nairobi where he lost equipment worth millions of shillings and a digital photo archive built over more than four decades.
Anwar Sidi said the break-in that occurred nearly two weeks ago appeared selective. The thieves only took his laptop, cameras and hard drives containing photographs and records spanning 43 years.
Mid-September last year, Sidi resigned from the 2026 World Rally Championship Safari Rally organizing committee, citing unresolved structural problems. He said the decision followed careful reflection, adding that his work was not “adequately appreciated or respected”, prompting a new path.
In a statement, at the time, he said the decision was difficult but necessary for his professional journey. He said he was leaving with his head held high, grateful for the experiences gained and the opportunities he had been given.
His unexpected departure was, and continues to be, felt across the motorsport fraternity, with colleagues praising his unmatched eye for detail, his courage in capturing high-risk shots, and his firm commitment to the sport. He was the face of the annual motorsports thriller.
“This is the first time my home has ever been violated, and the way it happened raises serious questions, The selective theft makes me wonder whether this was sabotage,” Sidi said in a social media post.
The stolen laptop carried irreplaceable images documenting the growth of motorsport in Kenya and the wider region, from the heyday of the Safari Rally to national and club-level competitions.
He also pointed to a separate cyber incident last year, when his email account was hacked and passwords altered, adding to his concerns about a sustained pattern of interference. Despite the setback, Sidi said he remains determined to continue working.
“They can take my possessions, but they cannot take away my skills, knowledge, or experience. I stepped down with my head held high, and that will not stop me from photographing the event,” he said.
Sidi is part of the Sidi Brothers, whose images chronicled some of East Africa’s most memorable motorsport moments from the 1980s through the early 2000s. Their work covered rallying, motocross, enduro, karting and national championships, capturing drivers, crews and fans during a period many regard as the sport’s golden era.
With a heavy heart, he paid tribute to the clubs, volunteers and sponsors who sustained the sport during that time, describing a close-knit community where competitors shared fuel, service crews worked through the night and results were published as cars crossed the finish line.
Sidi singled out the organization of the Marlboro Safari Rally as a benchmark, saying it drew global media attention and demanded round-the-clock coverage under difficult conditions, often with limited technology.
The award-winning photographer appealed for respect for experience in the management of the sport, arguing that motorsport thrives on institutional memory built by competitors, marshals and organizers over many years.
Investigations into the burglary are ongoing. Sidi said he remains hopeful that information will emerge to help recover the stolen equipment and archive, which he described as part of Kenya’s sporting history.
Sidi appealed to anyone who may come across the stolen laptop or external drives, or have information on their whereabouts, to contact him immediately, urging the public to share the details widely on social media. He can be reached on 0722 786 714 or 0735 786 714.