The motorsport spotlight swerved dramatically toward Rwanda last evening as the 2025 Rwanda Mt Gorilla Rally was officially launched in a glitzy ceremony at Akagera Motors showroom in Kicukiro District.
The event had everything flashing cameras, revving engines, and more handshakes than a political campaign. As round three of the 2025 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) was launched, the rally is set to zoom into action from 4th to 6th July, with most of the competitive drama expected in Bugesera District.
This year’s rally route covers a leg-stretching 389.46 kilometres, enough to make your car wonder if it signed up for a road trip or a military drill. Out of that, 236.30km will be serious business: 14 timed sections where drivers push the limits, and co-drivers cling to notes and possibly their sanity. The remaining 153.16km is liaison, better known as “snack time” for the crews. With rugged terrain ready to test suspensions and fierce competitors itching to shave off every possible second, this rally already promises to be action-packed.
The 2025 edition is already shifting into high gear, and it’s shaping up to be a battle royale on wheels. Some of the continent’s finest drivers have confirmed their entries because apparently, no one wants to miss the chance to get bounced around in Bugesera. Leading the pack is Kenya’s Karan Patel, the reigning African champion and last year’s Mt Gorilla Rally winner, who clearly enjoys coming back to Rwanda for more punishment. Alongside co-driver Tauseef Khan, he’ll be wrangling the mighty Skoda Fabia R5 basically the rally world’s version of a cheat day snack: fast, satisfying, and hard to catch.
But Patel better keep one eye on his mirrors. Hot on his heels is fellow Kenyan Samman Vohra, who nearly gave him whiplash in the last round in Uganda. Vohra is also rocking a Fabia R5, setting the stage for an epic showdown of twin beasts and turbo-charged testosterone. It’s Fabia vs Fabia, ego vs ego, and probably a few heated glances at parc fermé. This rivalry might just produce more sparks than a poorly grounded alternator.
Uganda’s Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba, currently topping the 2025 ARC standings, are also rolling into Rwanda with one mission: make dust, take trophies and grab ARC points. Behind the wheel of their Ford Fiesta R5 aka NEMO, this pair is back for their third full ARC season, and clearly, they didn’t come to make friends (unless those friends are stage wins).
With Nasser’s smooth driving and Katumba’s laser-focused notes, the crew is aiming to stretch their championship lead. If the competition thought they could relax, they clearly haven’t been watching Ugandan rally crews turn chaos into championship points. Rwanda, brace yourself, the boys from Moil are coming in hot, and they’re not here for the views!
Adding to the excitement, Nikhil Sachania one of Africa’s most inspirational rally drivers and a man who probably has rally dust in his morning coffee, will take on the ARC2 category alongside co-driver Deep Patel. They’ll be duking it out against a gaggle of eager young guns looking to make their mark (and maybe steal a few rally secrets while they’re at it). Meanwhile, last year’s ARC2 champ, Uganda’s Michael Mukula Jr, is back in his trusty Subaru Impreza N14, ready to defend his crown and remind everyone that experience still counts, especially when your car handles like it’s got a mind of its own.
Tanzania’s Prince Nyerere will also be in the mix, piloting his Mitsubishi Evo X, while more foreign crews from Uganda and Burundi are expected to jump in and spice up the competition.
Back home, Rwanda’s top rally warriors are revving their engines and ready to defend their turf. Reigning national champion Christian Kanangire, alongside co-driver Kevin Mujiji, will once again trust their loyal Subaru Impreza N12 to carry them through the dust and drama. And of course, fan-favourite Queen Kalimpinya isn’t sitting this one out, she’s back with co-driver Olivier Ngabo, piloting their iconic Subaru GC8 like it’s a rally legend on wheels.
With registration deadlines looming, expect more local and regional entries to roll in, setting the stage for what could be the fiercest Mt Gorilla Rally yet. Stay tuned for more driver profiles, stage previews, and all the juicy motorsport gossip as Bugesera’s biggest weekend approaches.
