Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba Crowned 2025 African Rally Champions

Morogoro, Tanzania — Uganda’s Yasin Nasser and co-driver Ali Katumba have written their names into African motorsport history, clinching the 2025 African Rally Championship (ARC) in breathtaking fashion during the season-ending Mkwawa Rally on Sunday.

The Ugandan crew, piloting a Ford Fiesta R5, arrived in Tanzania with a slim eight-point cushion over Kenya’s Samman Vohra, setting the stage for a high-stakes finale. Vohra, chasing glory in his maiden full ARC campaign, immediately flexed his speed storming to the front on Saturday and closing the opening leg as rally leader. Nasser, in contrast, played the long game, keeping his Fiesta out of trouble and settling for fourth, fully aware that one misstep could unravel an entire season’s work.

Sunday’s decisive leg unfolded under immense pressure. For Vohra, a win and maximum points would have sealed a dream championship. For Nasser, the mission was simple but nerve-shredding: keep his rival from sweeping it all.

Then came the twist. Kenya’s double African champion Karan Patel unleashed a blistering charge, seizing control of the rally and dominating the power stage. His surge denied Vohra the full haul of points and dramatically altered the championship equation.

When the dust finally settled, Patel celebrated as rally winner, Vohra was forced into second, and Tanzania’s Ahmed Huwel claimed third. Nasser, steady and unshaken, crossed the line in fourth but secured two crucial power stage points just enough to seal the championship by the narrowest of margins: 135 points to Vohra’s 134.

The victory is historic. It ends Uganda’s 26-year wait since the late Charles Muhangi, alongside Stephen Byaruhanga, last lifted the ARC crown in 1999. Though Jas Mangat came heartbreakingly close in 2013, falling short to Zambia’s Jassy Singh, it is Nasser and Katumba who have finally delivered.

On a day where rallying’s drama was at its peak, each competitor played their roleVohra, relentless in pursuit; Patel, the spoiler who rewrote the script; and Nasser, the calm custodian of Uganda’s dream.

And so, under the Tanzanian sun, the anthem of Uganda rose once more. A 26-year drought broken, and a continent saluting its newest champions: Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba, 2025 African Rally Champions.

Nasser vs Vohra as Mkwawa Rally Fires Off in Tanzania

From a long season of highs and heartbreaks, the African Rally Championship now boils down to one weekend, one rally, and two rival crews. By sunset on Sunday, September 21st, 2025, the continent will crown a new champion.

The contenders? Uganda’s pride, Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba, versus Kenya’s rising force, Samman Vohra and Drew Sturrock. It’s East Africa’s ultimate showdown, and the battleground is none other than Tanzania’s Mkwawa Rally.

The route stretches 326.44 kilometers, a mix of 181.59 km competitive stages and 144.85 km liaison, designed to punish both man and machine. The Serengeti stageat29.15 km the longest of the rally will be repeated three times, while the shortest, the 11.91 km Kilimanjaro stage, is also set to feature three times.

Action begins this evening at 16:06 with the 4.70 km Mkwawa qualifying stage, which will decide start order. Saturday promises to be the war zone, with six brutal stages in store, before Sunday’s three-stage dash to the finish.

While all eyes are fixed on Nasser and Vohra, a handful of determined challengers are ready to disrupt the script. But make no mistake this fight is personal. For Nasser and Katumba, victory would mark a historic first African title for Uganda. For Vohra and Sturrock, it’s a chance to seize Kenya’s next great rallying chapter.

The tension is thick, the engines are primed, and the dust is about to rise. Africa’s motorsport destiny will be written in Tanzania and only one crew will stand tallest.

Ugandan Rally Fans Set Off for Tanzania as Nasser Eyes Historic ARC Title

This morning at the Moil Petro Station, excitement filled the air as Uganda’s rally fraternity gathered to flag off a convoy of fans aboard Friends Coaches. Their destination: Morogoro, Tanzania. Their mission: to give unrelenting support to the Moil Rally Team crew of Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba, who stand on the brink of history.

After three near-misses, Nasser and Katumba are now within touching distance of securing Uganda’s first African Rally Championship (ARC) title since the legendary Charles Muhangi, codriven by Steven Byaruhanga, lifted the crown back in 1999. Since then, Uganda has watched from the sidelines as other nations dominated the continental stage.

This year, the dream is alive again. Nasser, behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta R5, leads the ARC standings but only by a razor-thin margin. The equations are simple yet brutal: a finish in first or second place will keep the title in his grasp, but much also hinges on whether Kenya’s Samman Vohra, currently second in the standings, falters.

The task ahead, however, is nothing short of herculean. The Morogoro Rally entry list features a highly competitive field of 10 ARC-registered crews, with six R5 machines lined up against just four Group N cars. Nasser and Katumba will have to dig deep against some of Africa’s fiercest competitors.

Among the ARC contenders:

  • Samman Vohra / Drew Sturrock (Kenya) – Skoda Fabia Evo, lying 2nd in the ARC standings.
  • Karan Patel / Tauseef Khan (Kenya) – Returning with a freshly rebuilt Skoda Fabia R5.
  • Arkif Virani / Zahir Shah (Kenya) – Skoda Fabia R5.
  • Naveen Puligilla / Musa Sharif (India) – Ford Fiesta Rally3.
  • Mohamed Roshanali Abbas / Christophe Bigirimana (Burundi) – Subaru Impreza GVB.
  • Ahmed Huwel / Roheet Solanki (Tanzania) – Toyota GR Yaris, leading the home team.
  • Altaaf Munge / Victor Jackson (Tanzania) – Ford Fiesta R5.
  • Prince Charles Nyerere / Charles Nyerere (Tanzania) – Mitsubishi EvoX, also vying for ARC2 honours.
  • Shehzad Munge / Aaron John (Tanzania) – Mitsubishi EvoX.

Beyond the ARC field, the rally will also see big names from Tanzania’s national championship, including reigning champion Manveer Birdi with Kenya’s Ravi Chana in a Mitsubishi Evo9, as well as Gurpal Sandhu / Dave Sihoka (Mitsubishi EvoX) and Randeep Singh / Manmeet Birdi (Mitsubishi Evo9).

For Uganda, the stakes could not be higher. If Nasser and Katumba succeed, they will etch their names alongside Muhangi in the nation’s motorsport folklore and restore Uganda’s pride on the continental stage.

As the Friends Coaches rolled out this morning, loaded with drums, vuvuzelas, and a sea of red, black, and yellow, one message rang clear from the passionate fans:

All Systems Are Go For Watendwa Fundraising Sprint

“And here he comes… Samuel Watendwa! The man who turned a Toyota FX into a legend, who made a humble machine roar against giants, who now stands at the gates of destiny…”

If ever there was a perfect introduction for Samuel Watendwa, it would be ahead of the much-anticipated fundraising sprint on 21st September 2025 at Festino Cite Racing Track in Mukono. His journey is more than racing it is a story of resilience, passion, and unwavering belief.

For over a decade, Watendwa has been a familiar name in Uganda’s motorsport circles. His commitment, consistency, and drive have earned him the admiration of fans and respect of fellow competitors. On the 21st of September, Mukono will host a dual-purpose event the 2nd Round of the National Sprint Championship and a grand fundraising drive to help Watendwa acquire the rally car of his dreams, a Subaru Impreza N14.

Watendwa began his rally career in 2013 with a Toyota Celica 185. Two years later, he upgraded to a Toyota Corona single door before settling into the Toyota FX that has since defined his legacy. For nine years, that FX has carried him through challenges, victories, and unforgettable moments. Alongside co-driver Steven Bunya, Watendwa achieved a remarkable milestone by winning the 2019 WD Championship, proving that determination can overcome limitations.

Yet, every motorsport fan knows the reality Watendwa has been competing with a machine far past its prime. His Toyota FX, though iconic, has been outmatched by modern rally cars, making his achievements even more extraordinary. The time has now come for him to step into the next chapter, and that chapter is written in the shape of a Subaru Impreza N14 a car that will give him the platform to fully showcase his talent.

The upcoming sprint in Mukono is more than a race. It is an opportunity for fans, fellow drivers, and the wider motorsport community to rally together in support of one of their own. It is a call to invest in potential, to recognize a driver whose determination has inspired many, and to help him transition from battling against the odds to competing on equal ground.

When Samuel Watendwa finally sits behind the wheel of a Subaru N14, it will not only mark a personal triumph but also a defining moment for Ugandan rallying. The engines will roar louder, the stages will thrill even more, and the legacy of one of the sport’s most resilient drivers will continue to grow.

Uganda’s Yasin Nasser on the Brink of Historic African Rally Championship Triumph

After 26 long years, it finally looks like it might be coming home. With just days to go before the fifth and final round of the 2025 African Rally Championship (ARC) in Morogoro, Tanzania, Ugandan hopes are sky-high. Leading the charge is none other than Uganda’s dynamic duo Yasin Nasser and co-driver Ali Katumba  who remain at the top of the championship standings.

Preparations at the Moil Rally Team camp are in overdrive, with every nut and bolt being checked, every plan tightened, and no stone left unturned. The mission is clear: bring the African crown back to Uganda for the first time since the late Charles Muhangi’s legendary 1999 triumph in the Subaru Impreza famously nicknamed Ekitaguriro.

For Nasser, the mathematics are simple but demanding   a first or second-place finish in Morogoro will secure him the continental title. Yet, as every rally fan knows, nothing is ever guaranteed in motorsport. Standing in his way are strong challengers: Kenya’s Karan Patel (if he makes the start after missing the previous round in Burundi) and fellow Kenyan Samman Vohra, who has shown blistering pace this season. There’s also the improving Ahmed Huwel, fresh from an upgrade to a Toyota Yaris, though his threat is considered less immediate.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere among Ugandan rally fans is reaching fever pitch. From Kampala to Arua, from Jinja to Masaka, buses are being booked and pockets are being emptied as passionate supporters prepare to descend on Tanzania in a sea of black, yellow, and red. For them, it’s more than just a rally  it’s history in the making.

Should Yasin Nasser hold his nerve and steer his machine across the finish line in Morogoro within the top two, Uganda will celebrate its first African Rally Championship crown of the millennium. After two decades of waiting, the dream is alive, and the nation is ready.

This time, it just might be coming home.

Who Will Claim the 2025 NRC Crown?

We are well past the halfway mark of the 2025 Uganda National Rally Championship, with five of seven rounds already complete and what a rollercoaster it has been! In a twist that has left fans both astonished and delighted, Ponsiano Lwakataka, who has won four of the five events so far, is still not the NRC leader. Instead, consistency king Ronald Sebuguzi holds the top spot, despite not winning a single round.

Lwakataka started the season in dazzling fashion, clinching victories in the opening rounds of Mbarara and Masaka. A major setback struck at the Pearl of Africa Rally, where an engine failure forced him out early, but he returned with a vengeance, winning the Bugerere Stabex EMC Rally and, for the first time, finishing strong at the UMC Fort Portal Tourism City Rally. Ponsiano now lurks just six points behind Sebuguzi, setting up a nail-biting finish for the remaining rounds in Gulu and Hoima.

Sebuguzi, last year’s runner-up, has been the embodiment of reliability this season. Finishing all five rounds so far, he started with two 2nd-place finishes in Mbarara and Masaka, then slipped to 7th at the Pearl of Africa Rally before bouncing back with 3rd in Bugerere and 2nd in Fort Portal. His steady accumulation of points has him perched at the top with 241 points.

In third place, rookie sensation Musa Ssegaabwe has made a remarkable debut in the NRC after being promoted from the CRC class. With podium finishes including a strong performance at the Shell V-Power Pearl of Africa Rally, Ssegaabwe trails Sebuguzi by just 33.5 points, keeping him firmly in contention for the championship crown. Other notable performances include Aine Sodo in 4th, Duncan Mubiru hampered by a DNF at Fort Portal in 5th, and Michael Mukula steadily recovering from early-season setbacks to lie in 6th.

The 2WD battle is equally thrilling. Mansoor Lubega leads by a single point over Julius Semambo, making every stage a potential decider. Lubega has impressed since upgrading to a Toyota Corolla, winning Fort Portal after a minor setback in Kayunga. Semambo, familiar with his Toyota Sprinter, continues to improve with every rally. Hajji Amir Kavuma remains steady, while Edward Kirumira and last year’s 2WD champion Ibrahim Lubega face challenges that have left them trailing in 4th and 5th, respectively.

In the CRC class, Walter Kibande continues to dominate with three wins out of five rounds, his partnership with Duncan Katumba proving formidable. Ahmed Kateete is keeping pressure high, narrowly ahead of young Kevin Bebeto, who has managed one win but remains determined to shake up the standings. Robert Sentongo (Nkima) has struggled with multiple setbacks, while Odeon Tumwebaze steadily adapts to his Toyota Alteza, hinting at a potential upgrade soon.

As the championship heads into its penultimate round in Gulu, the title races in each class remain wide open. The top crews are not backing down, promising fans two more rounds of unpredictable, adrenaline-fueled action.