If you, by some tragic twist of fate, have not heard about the upcoming 2025 Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, then either your internet is broken, your friends are fake, or you’ve been living under a rock so big, even Google Maps refuses to acknowledge it. Because right now, in every kafunda, car wash, and barbershop from Kampala to Kabale, people are arguing like it’s a family meeting with inheritance at stake, debating who’s going to dominate the gravel, obliterate the off-road, and make the dust beg for mercy. Even your aunties are suddenly rally experts now. One wrong opinion and you’re getting side-eyed harder than a goat in a lion documentary.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Mbarara, the land of milk and honey. The city is already vibrating with excitement (and possibly some low-key engine revving from backyard garages). It’s here, in a place where cows stare at rally cars like confused traffic officers trying to write a speeding ticket in moo, that the second round of the African Rally Championship is about to explode into life. Forget Netflix, this is where the real drama is. Tyres will scream, engines will growl like they skipped breakfast, and spectators will be holding on to their hats as rally cars fly past like they’re dodging school fees. Buckle up, Mbarara, it’s about to get rally ridiculous!
As we speak, somewhere in the depths of a dimly-lit garage, mechanics are performing open-heart surgery on a Subaru and a Mitsubishi like they’re in a telenovela episode titled “Piston of Passion”. Spanners are flying, tempers are flaring, and some poor intern has just been yelled at for handing someone a 10mm spanner instead of an 8mm. Because everyone knows rallies are won in the garage, not on the starting line. Ask any rally driver or better yet, their exhausted mechanics who now speak fluent engine code in their dreams and occasionally whisper “turbo lag” in their sleep like it’s a ghost haunting them.
The rally is scheduled for May 8–10, covering a grueling 486.26 km, including 11 competitive stages that are basically nature’s way of asking: “Are you really sure you want to drive here?”
The rally kicks off Thursday, May 8th, with a 4.32 km free practice stage for ARC crews, a glorified warm-up lap for people who treat adrenaline like it’s a multivitamin. This stage also doubles as a qualifying stage for the big boys with the heavy feet and heavier egos, while the rest of the hopefuls will shake down their cars like someone shaking a soda bottle full of pressure and likely to explode at the wrong moment.
Day 1 (Friday, May 9) is when things officially get spicy like Rolex with extra pepper kind of spicy. The rally doesn’t tiptoe in; it roars to life with the 23.28 km Kaguta 1 Stage, because nothing says “good morning” quite like flying at 200 km/h over rocks sharp enough to slice your tyres and your dreams. If your car makes it out in one piece, congratulations, you’re officially in a committed relationship with chaos.
Next up, drivers get to dance with destiny in the Ankole Cow Stage (19.28 km), a stretch of road named not for the landscape, but for the majestic, horned beefy boys who will absolutely park themselves in the middle of the track like, “Excuse me? Is this your rally or mine?” Navigating this stage requires speed, skill, and the ability to politely negotiate with livestock.
Then it’s off to Mwesigwa Resort for the 2.51 km Superspecial Stage, a short but savage round also known as the “Come show off and try not to crash in front of your crush” stage. It’s where drivers pull out their fanciest moves, crowds lose their minds, and somewhere in the stands, someone is filming it all for TikTok while praying for a near-miss and not a full-on bumper farewell.
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Day 2 kicks things into full-blown overdrive with eight competitive stages because apparently, sleep is for people who don’t eat gravel for breakfast. The longest of the lot is Kaguta 2 (yes, again), because clearly the organizers thought, “Hmm, how about we emotionally damage the drivers one more time, for vibes?” The shortest stage is the 8.50 km Shell V-Power Stage, which drivers do twice, because nothing says “reward” like circling back to suffer again this time, for bonus points and maybe a little dignity.
Let’s talk about the foreigners the fast ones, not the lost tourists asking for directions to Lake Victoria. Leading the charge is none other than Karan Patel, the reigning ARC champ, whose Skoda Fabia R5 has been seen on Instagram hooked up to more wires than a hospital ICU. Word on the street (and every dusty backroad) is: He’s coming for blood. Again.
But Uganda says not today, Karan!
Also back to reclaim lost dust is Hamza Anwar and co-driver Adinan Din a duo that tasted Uganda’s gravel glory last year and apparently came back for a second helping. Meanwhile, Jeremiah Wahome and Victor Okudi yes, the “speed is digital” viral video kings have upgraded to a brand-new Skoda Fabia R5, and are ready to trade viral clips for actual podium finishes.
And don’t sleep on Samman Vohra. He’s been asking questions, making inquiries, probably Googling “how to win rally Uganda” at 2 AM. It’s his first time in the Pearl, and let me tell you, he’s not coming for the Rolex (the food), he’s coming for victory.
The home team isn’t sleeping either (and if they are, it’s only during gear shifts). Hassan Alwi is pulling out a new Proto from the land of mysteries (a.k.a. somewhere not Uganda) and bringing it straight to Mbarara. Then there’s Samuel “Kawunyemu” Bwette, who now dreams in gear ratios after importing a Subaru N14 once driven by ARC legend Don Smith. If that car could talk, it would say, “We’ve seen some things…”
Our beloved duo, Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba, are fresh off the Kenya Fesh-Fesh (translation: sandstorm of doom) and already tinkering with their Ford Fiesta R5. Add to that Jas Mangat in a Hyundai i20, a man whose driving style has been described as “aggressive with a chance of glory,” and you’ve got the makings of a motorsport soap opera.
But wait, we haven’t even talked about the living legend himself, Ponsiano Lwakataka the man, the myth, the gear-grinding machine. Fresh from conquering Masaka, he’s looking to extend his NRC lead, foot firmly planted on the accelerator, dreams firmly parked in first place.
Let’s not forget Ronald Sebuguzi and Anthony Mugambwa, currently chilling (well, not really) in 2nd place in the NRC standings. These guys are the rally version of that quiet student in class who suddenly tops the final exams. Their Ford Fiesta Proto is not just a car, it’s a missile with side mirrors.
With just 30 days left, excitement is bubbling over faster than a cheap radiator on a hot day. Engines are being prepped, strategies are being drawn, and memes are already flying across WhatsApp like gravel behind a Subaru.
So buckle up, dust off your rally t-shirts, and start practicing your Mbarara accent, because the 2025 Shell V-Power Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally is coming and it’s coming in sideways, with its wheels spinning and its horns blazing.
Stay tuned for daily updates, behind-the-scenes garage gossip, and more high-octane nonsense as we approach rally day. Only here, where we take rallying as seriously as we take our Rolexes (both kinds).
