Ladies and gentlemen, motorsport fans, and lovers of the fine art of controlled chaos, welcome to Round 2 of the National Rally Championship! The Bwela Bristo SMC Rally is here, and if you ask any co-driver right now what next weekend is called, they’ll just stare into the distance like a war veteran, shake their head, and whisper, “You did not read the note.”
Drivers are already practicing their “I totally meant to do that” faces, while mechanics are preparing for the ancient motorsport ritual of “fixing what the driver swore was fine.” Meanwhile, rally fans are dusting off their best “jump out of the way at the last second” skills because, let’s be honest, no rally is complete without at least one fan thinking they’re faster than an R5.
With just four days to go before the engines roar through the greater Masaka, Kalungu, Bukomansimbi, and Sembabule, the tension is as thick as the dust that will be flying off the rally roads. The event, running from April 4th to 6th, is not just any rally. Oh no, dear reader, this is the warm-up act to the prestigious Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally in three weeks! Think of it as the appetizer before the main course, but instead of soup, it’s 262.69 km of adrenaline, with 135.50 km being competitive and the rest being liaison distance, which is just a fancy way of saying, “Take a deep breath before all hell breaks loose.
Ponsiano Lwakataka and Paul Musazi currently hold the golden ticket to the NRC throne with 57 points after an impressive win in Mbarara. Just when Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba looked set to flex their championship muscles, power steering issues decided to humble them, sending them down to fourth place. The lesson? Even the best drivers are at the mercy of tiny, rebellious car parts. But Masaka is Ponsiano’s backyard, he knows these roads like he knows his way to the fridge at midnight. Will his home-ground advantage turn into more points, or will fate (and a few over-enthusiastic handbrake turns) throw a curveball? Only time will tell.
Meanwhile, chilling in second place but far from relaxed are Ronald Sebuguzi and Anthony Mugambwa with 53 points. Their Ford Fiesta Proto will be working overtime as they push for maximum points, keeping the title fight as tight as a co-driver’s grip on the dashboard when things get sketchy.
Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba, fresh off their survival mission in the unforgiving sands of Naivasha. With 47 points in the bag, they’ll be storming Masaka’s twisty roads like men on a mission redemption, glory, and maybe a little revenge on that pesky power steering system. Keep your eyes on them, because if there’s one thing rallying has taught us, it’s that anything can happen, especially when there’s dust, speed, and pure determination in the mix!
In the 2WD category, Edward Kirumira and Monica Birwinyo, backed by Stabex, are leading the charge with 27 points. But behind them, Amir Kavuma and Kenneth Kavuma (a.k.a. “Kavuma and Sons Ltd.”) are just 7 points away, quietly plotting what can only be described as a motorsport coup d’état. If there were a rally version of Game of Thrones, these guys would be sharpening their swords or in this case, their tire treads.
Meanwhile, Julius Semambo and Jafer Lukenge are lurking in third place with 18 points, waiting for their golden opportunity to pounce, probably right after the leaders get a little too excited and accidentally park their cars in a banana plantation. Because let’s be honest, in rallying, one moment you’re flying through corners like a legend, and the next, you’re explaining to a confused farmer why your car is now part of his garden.
Walter Kibande and Duncan Katumba are currently ruling the CRC kingdom with 20 points, after taming the wild roads of Mbarara in their ever faithful Subaru GC8—proof that some legends never retire, they just get louder! But their reign is far from secure, because right behind them, Robert Sentongo and Yusuf Babu are lurking in second place with 17 points, waiting for the perfect moment to stage an overthrow. And let’s not forget Topher Katera in third with 15 points, quietly watching like a patient lion, ready to pounce the moment someone ahead takes a detour into the bushes. This year’s CRC battle is shaping up to be a thriller with rookies fighting for glory, old Subarus proving they still have some bite, and Masaka’s roads standing by to see who will conquer and who will need a tow rope because things will get wet and wild.
As if this rally wasn’t already a pressure cooker, the return of some heavy hitters has added a whole new layer of excitement.
Duncan “Kikankane” Mubiru is back in action! After spending all of last year sending his Ford Fiesta Proto to Latvia for a complete rebuild, he made a brief cameo in Mbarara in a Subaru GVB, only to be betrayed by electrical gremlins. But now, with his beast back at full power and co-driver Joseph Kamya by his side, Duncan is ready to shake off the rust and remind everyone why he’s one of the most feared drivers on the grid.
Speaking of returns, John Consta is back! Last seen in Busiika during the Champions Sprint, he will now be co-driven by Bashiel Mbogo as they launch their 2025 NRC campaign. Then there’s Samuel Bwette of the Kawunyemu Rally Team, who just acquired a Subaru Impreza N14 from Kenya. The moment his new toy landed in the country, he threw in his entry form like a man who just found out his crush is single. Expect absolute fireworks from his adoring fans, who are already warming up their vocal cords for the return of their rally anthem.
Ah yes, the start of the rainy season is Mother Nature’s way of turning rally racing into an extreme sport. Expect a generous serving of mud, impromptu slides, surprise detours, and those classic co-driver-driver debates:
Driver: “Oops, we’re off again!”
Co-driver: “Did you hear the note, or were you admiring the trees?”
And just like that, the Bwela Bristo SMC Rally is here to deliver high-speed drama, unexpected plot twists, and just the right amount of controlled chaos (or uncontrolled, depending on how brave or reckless our drivers feel).
