Tuta Mionki

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Tuta Mionki (born 21 April 1976) [1] is a Kenyan rally driver, co-driver and navigator who was crowned the Kenya Motor Sports Personality of the year 2018. She also holds the Kenya Motor Sports Federation Awards for the best co-driver of the season 2015 (Division 3) and 2016 (2-wheel-drive). Mionki was the first woman rally driver to join the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) Premier Class Motor Rallying. [2]

Contents

Background and education

Mionki was born to Jane Nyaruiru (Wambui) Mionki. [3] She grew up in Thika and attended Gatumaini primary school and Maryhill Girls High School. [4] Mionki later studied at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and completed her Masters at the University of Nairobi where she majored in human resource management. [4]

Mionki also attended the Abdul Sidi Rally Academy (ASRA). [5] [6]

Career

Mionki as a human resources professional, had previously worked for corporations such as Kenya Airways, British American Tobacco, Java House and ZTE. [4] She then left her job in 2009 to start her own business. [4]

In 2012, she joined racing as a navigator for rally driver Eric Bengi in the Rally Raid. [7] She has since been a co-driver for Victor Okundi, Steve Gacheru, Helen Shiri, Murage Waigwa and Nzioka Waita. [8] [9] She has participated in the 2021 Safari Rally as a co-driver for Nzioka Waita. [10] [11]

Awards

In 2016, she won the award for Best Co-Driver (in the 2 wheel drive category). [12] In 2018, Mionki was crowned the Kenya Motorsports Personality of the Year, making her the second woman to be given the award after Anne Teith. [13]

See also

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References

  1. "Tuta Mionki". Rally Archives. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  2. Oluoch, Derrick. "Need for speed: Tough women behind the wheel". The Standard. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  3. obituary (2020-12-24). "Jane Nyaruiru Mionki". Obituary Kenya. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Human resource management graduate Mionki finally breaks jinx". www.scoopernews.com. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  5. "Rally navigators speak on their race day experience". Citizen Digital. 2021-06-26. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  6. Isaboke, Alex (2021-04-14). "Abdul Sidi paints a picture of navigation as WRC Safari Rally nears". Capital Sports. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  7. "The race of a lifetime". Nation. 2020-07-05. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  8. Shacki. "Tuta Mionki - rally profile eWRC-results.com". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  9. Magak, Chrisphine. "Mionki Tuta loves 'em fast and furious". The Standard. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  10. "Tuta Mionki just can't wait for the WRC Safari Rally | MozzartSportKe". www.mozzartsportke.com. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  11. Shacki. "Tuta Mionki - rally profile eWRC-results.com". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  12. "The female rally champion driving change". BBC News. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  13. capitalfmkenya (2019-01-20). "Mionki wins 2018 Motor Sports Personality". Capital Sports. Retrieved 2022-03-17.