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David GOMBE
The dust has officially been stirred in Mbarara as the 2026 Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally gets underway. Running from 7th to 9th May, the event has turned Mbarara City into a high-intensity motorsport battleground as crews compete in the second round of both the African Rally Championship (ARC) and the KCB-National Rally Championship (NRC).
As the main sponsor of the KCB-National Rally Championship (NRC), KCB Bank strategically supports drivers from Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. This investment provides a robust platform for them to showcase exceptional skill, nurture emerging talent, and compete at continental levels, driving long-term professional development in motorsport across the region.
Leading the KCB Bank contingent is Karan Patel with co-driver Tauseef Khan in the Škoda Fabia R5 alongside Rwanda’s Queen Kalimpinya, with co-driver Olivier Ngabo, Nikhil Sachania with co-driver Deep Patel,Nasser Mutebi with co-driver Steven Bunya, Mike Mukula Junior with co-driver Edward Kiyingi, and Oscar Ntambi with co-driver Asuman Muhammed, who recently secured a first-place finish in the ARC2 category during their WRC debut.
Championship leader Patel (49 points), followed by Aakif Virani (38), Samman Singh Vohra (37), and Jasmeet Chana (32), anchors a strong presence with 10 entries, including Evans Kavisi/ Absalom Aswani and Joseph Gacheche/Sofia Rantasalo in ARC2.
Noela Byuma, Head of Marketing and Communications at KCB Bank, stated at the flag-off, “At KCB Bank, we believe that the true heartbeat of sports lies in the power of partnership. As the title sponsor of the National Rally Championship, our goal is to fuel the ambitions of our local talent. By standing behind the drivers, we are giving them the platform to transition from local favourites to international competitors.”
Byuma also added that KCB Bank had streamlined the process for fans to participate by leveraging KCB Pay. She noted that by dialing *244*9# and entering merchant code 125122, supporters could easily secure tickets for UGX 10,000, enabling them to witness the future of Ugandan motorsport firsthand.
Karan Patel shared his focus, “Psychologically, I am fully prepared, and the car is in optimal condition. We’ve fine-tuned the setup for these specific regional stages.”
“The Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally continues to play an important role in growing motorsport across the region by attracting top talent and raising the standard of competition. We commend KCB Bank for its continued investment in the championship, which is creating valuable opportunities for local drivers to develop and compete at the continental level,” said a representative from the Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU).
Oscar Ntambi remarked, “Returning to the local stages after our success in the WRC/ARC2 category is a proud moment for us. Asuman Muhammed and I have spent the last few weeks ensuring that the car is perfectly suited for the technical demands of the Mbarara terrain. We are incredibly grateful for the continued backing from KCB Bank, which allows us to compete at this level. Our focus is now entirely on delivering a precise, high-performance drive to ensure we secure vital points for the NRC title race.”
KCB Bank also reaffirmed its Green Rally initiative, keeping environmental conservation central to its motorsport sponsorships. In partnership with the Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU), the bank continues to support efforts aimed at ensuring the landscape remains as clean and well-preserved after the rally as it was before the engines roared to life.
