Every generation brings with it changes, and sometimes, those changes are as wild as a rally car hitting 180 km/h on a dusty stage. A few years ago, Ugandan rally drivers were content with their Group N cars. You know, the cars that followed all the rules, played it safe and made sure the FIA stayed happy. But now? Oh, now we’re talking about Proto cars machines so monstrous, they make Group N cars look like toys.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “What on earth is a Proto car?” Sit tight, my friend, because I’m about to drop some knowledge that’ll make you the king of the rally paddocks in no time. Proto cars are like that friend who can eat pizza and still look like they’ve been in the gym for hours. These cars are light, fast, and unrestricted by the dull rules that kept Group N in check. They have everything sequential gearboxes, extended suspension, and cooling systems that could probably chill a whole village during a heatwave. It’s like a rally car that’s had way too much coffee.
Let’s rewind to the beginning of this Proto madness. It all started when Rajiv Ruperelia rolled into Uganda with the very first VW Proto, causing the ground to shake and rally fans to collectively ask, “What just happened?” It was like a thunderstorm of horsepower had hit the rally world. Teamed up with Enoch Olinga, they weren’t just racing; they were rewriting the rulebook and giving the old guard a serious case of whiplash. And just like that, the Proto revolution had begun.
Then came Duncan Mubiru AKA Kikankane who didn’t just step into the Proto world, he did a cannonball. In 2022, he imported a Ford Fiesta NRC Proto from Latvia, and the rally world collectively gasped. People joked, “He’s bringing a spaceship to a bicycle race,” but guess what? That “toy car” started stacking podiums like a hustler on a caffeine binge. Wins came faster than campaign promises, and the critics? Well, they were too busy taking notes to laugh anymore.
Now, as the Proto fever caught fire, the next guy to jump on the bandwagon was Ronald Sebuguzi. With a Ford Fiesta Proto of his own, he started terrorizing stages like a caffeine-fueled teenager on a dirt bike. Podiums? Check. Victories? Check. Egos bruised? Oh, absolutely. Sebuguzi’s Proto wasn’t just a car it was a weapon of mass disruption.
But what about the man himself, John Consta? The man had been on a break so long that we all thought he was either training to be a monk or opening a photocopy shop. But then, like a long-lost lover, a Ford Fiesta Proto appeared in his life, and it was love at first rev. Consta came back to the rally scene with a vengeance, and since then, the only thing he’s been printing is dust on his competition.
And just when we thought we’d seen it all, Moses Lumala, the man who probably taught half the grid how to take a corner, made a comeback. This time, it wasn’t just any car he’s got a Ford Fiesta NRC Proto, fresh from Neiksan Rally Sport in Latvia. The anticipation? Oh, it’s so real that boda boda riders are more excited about Lumala’s Proto landing than they are about football gossip. Mechanics are sharpening their tools, fans are dusting off Lumala banners, and somewhere, a rival is pretending not to be worried.
And hold onto your helmets, folks, because just when you thought the Proto scene couldn’t get any wilder, Hassan Alwi Jr. stepped into the game. Word on the street is that Alwi has joined the Proto movement with a Ford Fiesta Proto of his own, but true to his mysterious nature, he’s keeping it all hush-hush. Fans are on the edge of their seats waiting for the day Alwi reveals what he’s been cooking up, and let’s just say, suspense has never been this thrilling.
Meanwhile, rumours are swirling that Ponsiano Lwakataka is eyeing a Proto car. If that happens, we might just witness an era where rally cars fly higher than boda bodas on Kampala’s pothole-riddled roads. Oh, and Musa Segaabwe? He’s thinking about it too, but he’s still weighing his options like a man trying to decide if he should add another egg to his rolex.
And guess what? Even Mike Mukula Jr., the man of class, suits, and lofty ambitions, might soon be shifting gears into a Proto car. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see taxi drivers cruising around in Toyota Hiace Protos!
With two R5 cars already on Ugandan soil, driven by Yasin Nasser and Jas Mangat, the competition is about to hit turbo mode. The big question is, can the R5s keep up with the rising Proto fleet, or will they be left eating dust faster than a rally car navigating a corner?
One thing is for sure: Ugandan rallying has entered a new era, and it’s louder, faster, and crazier than ever.
