A team of five Ugandan rally drivers is getting ready to take part in the World Rally Championship event; the Safari Rally that is due from 23rd to 27th. June. 2021 in Kenya.

The WRC prestigious event, dubbed the toughest rally ever was supposed to take place last year from16th to 19th  July. 2020 for the first time since 2002 but got postponed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic that paralyzed the world in almost all sectors.

The Safari Rally was recently reinstated onto the World Rally Championship series having been scrapped off the World Rally calendar because of financial short comings and organizational mishaps.

The return of the Safari Rally; the sixth event of the twelve WRC calendar events is a blessing to the African soil since it is the only WRC event that will happen on the African continent this year.

Team Uganda at the Safari Rally will have Ronald Ssebuguzi, Duncan ‘Kikankane’ Mubiru, Kepher Walubiri, Yassin Nasser and Hassan Alwi Junior; all whom are very excited about the opportunity and reality of taking on the world’s best competitors since it also be their debut in the WRC- ranked completion.

What the drivers said about the dream event:

Ronald Ssebuguzi.

“It will be a dream come true for me to take on the world's best drivers.”

At the event, he will be navigated by Anthony Mugambwa in a Mitsubishi Evo X.

Ssebuguzi is a two-time Uganda National Rally Championship (NRC) champion:

Duncan Mubiru:

“I cannot claim that I am going there to beat those world-class guys and win the rally. For me, it’s a chance to participate, rubber shoulders and learn from the best.”

Mubiru who is the current leader of the National Rally Championship (NRC) title race in his Subaru Impreza GBV will be navigated by Musa Nsubuga.

Kepher Walubiri:

“This is every rally driver’s dream come true! Who am I to be part of this world history without God’s blessing?”

Only three Ugandan rally drivers have been at a the Safari Rally before and these include the late Charles Muhangi and his navigator the late Frank Nekusa who raced at the 2002 event; Emma Katto at the 1997 event where he finished in a respectable seventh position and Karim Hirij in 1996.

This year’s event of the Safari Rally has entered 58 entries as confirmed by FIA the world rally governing body; and amongst whom is an all female crew of Maxine Wahome/Chantal Young from Kenya.

Current WRC title race leader Frenchman Sebastien Ogier leads the elite drivers who will compete for top honors in Kenya together with  Elfyn Evans from Britain and Thierry Neuville from Belgium.

The legendary Sheikh Metha and Ian Duncan are the only East African drivers to have won the World Series Safari Rally.

In relation to the above Ronald Ssebuguzi also vowed to put up a wonderful performance at the Safari Rally to make his sponsors happy and proud.

Sebuguzi who will be driving alongside Anthony Mugambwa in the Mitsubishi Evo X made the vow at Shell Bugolobi in Kampala on Friday. 18th. June. 2021 after receiving Ug. Shs. 25 million cash sponsorship from Shell V-Power, a premium fuel that cleans and protects engines.

“I look forward to representing my country at this prestigious motor-sporting event,” Ssebuguzi said.

“I am grateful to Shell V-Power for the support that they have offered to me through the years as a professional racer. I have, for the past 10 years, used Shell V Power which has a high-octane level that maximizes the performance of my car making it a road warrior,” Sebuguzi added.

The Safari Rally World Rally Championship series in Nairobi, Kenya will cover a total of 320.19kilometres in 18 competitive stages.

 By Joseph Mary Ssempiira www.sportznow.ug writer.