If anyone thought the 2026 KCB National Rally Championship would start quietly, they clearly forgot one important thing about rallying rally cars don’t read scripts. Two rounds into the season and fans have already witnessed everything from heroic comebacks and surprise podiums to broken prop shafts, overnight miracles in service parks and enough mechanical drama to keep spare parts dealers smiling all year long.
The journey began in Eastern Uganda at the MPU Mbale Rally, where over 30 crews arrived carrying fresh hopes, fresh liveries and, in some cases, fresh excuses for the retirement reports they hoped they would never have to write. The roads around Budaka and Mbale immediately reminded competitors that rallying is not a beauty contest.
They were rough, fast, technical and unforgiving. Drivers attacked the stages with confidence while co-drivers prayed their pace notes were more accurate than the weather forecast.
One of the biggest stories came from Moses Lumala. After nearly 20 years away from active rallying, many expected the former National Rally Champion to spend the weekend shaking off rust. Instead, Lumala arrived in his Ford Fiesta NRC Proto and immediately started shaking up the younger generation.
Alongside veteran co-driver Cedric Buzabo, Lumala rolled back the years and reminded everyone that experience is a dangerous weapon. While some younger drivers were busy searching for speed, Lumala seemed to know exactly where it had been hiding all along. His second-place finish felt less like a comeback and more like a warning shot to the championship contenders.
Meanwhile, the service park was buzzing around the brand-new Skoda N5 of Musa Ssegaabwe and Mathias Kiyega. The car looked fast, sounded fast and, for most of the rally, was fast. The crew delivered an impressive performance and initially secured second overall before a stewards’ inquiry brought the celebrations to a halt.
In rallying, sometimes your biggest opponent isn’t the road, the weather or another driver. Sometimes it’s the rulebook. The disqualification may have denied them a result, but the speed shown by the Skoda made one thing clear the championship had just gained another serious contender.
Young driver Kevin Bebeto also arrived with a fresh chapter in his career. Having traded his Subaru N10 for a Mitsubishi Evo 9, expectations were high. The new car showed promise, although the results didn’t quite match the excitement. Still, every rally driver knows that a new rally car is a bit like a new relationship you spend the first few outings figuring out each other’s bad habits.
Then there was Stefano Valeri. Competing under a Ugandan licence, the Ethiopian-based driver quietly went about his business and suddenly found himself standing on the podium in third place. It was the kind of performance that makes rivals start paying attention.
At the front, Hassan Alwi Jr and Musa Nsubuga decided that the easiest way to avoid pressure was simply to stay ahead of everyone. Their Ford Fiesta Proto danced through the stages, steadily building a lead and eventually securing victory. While others were fighting dust, punctures and mechanical worries, Alwi appeared determined to give his mechanics the rarest gift in rallying a peaceful evening.
Defending champion Ronald Sebuguzi wasn’t as fortunate. Just when a strong finish seemed possible, mechanical problems arrived uninvited. In rallying, mechanical failures are like relatives who show up at a wedding without an invitation. They always choose the worst possible moment.
The 2WD battle was equally entertaining. Mansoor Lubega and Kenneth Kavuma mastered the art of balancing speed and survival to claim victory. Julius Semambo and Eric Senono followed in second while Odeon Tumwebaze and Hussein Mukuye completed the podium.
Away from the competition itself, Eastern Uganda once again proved its love for motorsport. Thousands of fans lined the roads, climbed anthills, parked on hilltops and occupied every available viewing point. Some spectators probably saw more rally cars that weekend than traffic police officers see in an entire month.
Then came the big one.
The Shell V-Power Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally.
The event arrived with a record 65 entries and enough horsepower to light up several districts. Drivers from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and beyond gathered for what many consider one of Africa’s toughest rallies.
The Kenyan contingent arrived looking particularly dangerous. Karan Patel, Samman Vohra, Jasmeet Chana, Ahmed Huwel, Aakif Virani and Nikhil Sachania all came ready for battle. During shakedown, Samman Vohra immediately showed his intentions by setting the fastest time.
But rallying has a funny sense of humor.
Before the real competition even began, Burundi’s Mohammad Rashanali rolled his Subaru just one kilometre into shakedown. Kevin Bebeto and Lawrence Mwambazi fought over-revving issues and broken shafts.
Sameer Nanji and Zaib Azhar introduced a tree to the front of their Subaru in a rather expensive meeting. Fortunately for them, rally mechanics are a special breed of human beings. Give them enough tools, enough determination and just enough sleep deprivation, and they can perform miracles that would impress surgeons.
The rally itself unfolded like a Hollywood movie.
Samman Vohra and Drew Sturrock looked set for victory. Stage after stage they maintained control and appeared destined for the top step of the podium.
Then rallying remembered it was rallying.
A broken prop shaft on the penultimate stage transformed celebration into heartbreak within minutes. One moment they were rally leaders. The next moment they were spectators to someone else’s victory.
That someone was Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan.
Having already battled power steering issues earlier in the event, Patel seized the opportunity and claimed overall victory. Uganda’s Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba fought bravely against Africa’s finest and secured a well-deserved podium finish.
Within the NRC category, Randeep Singh Birdi and Enock Olinga delivered a near-perfect performance. Their Ford Fiesta Proto seemed determined to spend the entire weekend at maximum attack. They secured victory ahead of Yasin Nasser and Duncan Mubiru.
In 2WD, Julius Semambo and veteran co-driver Diana Nagawa emerged victorious. Mansoor Lubega recovered from gearbox troubles to finish third, proving that in rallying, sometimes survival is just as important as speed.
Meanwhile, Doreen Asiimwe continued quietly building her CRC championship campaign. While others chased outright glory, she focused on collecting points, and sometimes championships are won by those who know when to attack and when to simply bring the car home.
After two rounds, Hassan Alwi Jr sits atop the NRC standings with 118 points. Behind him, the chasing pack remains tightly grouped, ensuring that every stage and every second will matter as the season progresses.
As the championship heads toward the next round in Greater Masaka organized by the Southern Motor Club, crews are already preparing for another battle. Mechanics are tightening bolts. Drivers are studying onboard videos. Co-drivers are updating pace notes. And somewhere in a dark corner of a workshop, a gearbox is probably planning its next act of betrayal.
Because that is rallying.
A sport where heroes become victims in a single stage. A sport where a driver can spend six hours driving flat out only to lose everything because a component worth less than a tank of fuel decides it has worked hard enough.
Most importantly, it is a sport that keeps fans coming back for more.
