By Mwambazi Lawrence
This weekend, the quiet, hilly landscapes of Bugesera District are about to be disturbed not by tourists looking for gorillas but by roaring engines, sideways Subarus, and drivers with unfinished business! The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally 2025 is here, and if you think it’s just another event on the ARC calendar, think again. This is the mid-season battleground, the make-or-break point in the race for the African Rally Championship crown.
Leading the charge (for now) is Uganda’s Yasin Nasser, expertly navigated by Ali Katumba, sitting pretty at 63 points. But let’s not pretend Yasin had an easy ride; he managed a strong 3rd place in the Safari Rally, where luck played a role as Karan Patel crashed out and the drivers who finished ahead of him didn’t even turn up in Uganda for Round 2.
Yasin grabbed 3rd in the Pearl of Africa Rally on home soil, enough to propel him to the top of the standings. But with the halfway point here and the pressure mounting, he’ll need more than luck in Rwanda. He wants max points, but he’ll need to stay far away from the brewing storm between Karan Patel and Samman Vohra.
But don’t let that leaderboard fool you. Yasin isn’t lounging on a Rwandan hammock. Far from it. Karan Patel, the reigning ARC champion, isn’t used to being in 6th place. He only has 35 points, all from his win in Uganda, and trust us, Karan doesn’t like playing catch-up. He’ll be gunning for victory with co-driver Tauseef Khan, looking to claw back into title contention.
But guess who’s in his mirrors? Samman Vohra the rookie with a rocket foot. He’s still chasing his first points this season, but don’t be fooled. The Pearl Rally showdown between him and Patel was box office. Rwanda could be Subaru vs. Evo X, the rematch fans have been waiting for.
In the ARC2 category, we’ve got a spicy one. Nikhil Sachania, Kenya’s incredible wheelchair-bound warrior with 50 points, had a spotless rally in Uganda. But this weekend, he’s not dancing alone. Michael Mukula Jr, Uganda’s reigning ARC2 champion, has just dropped his entry – and dropped jaws. Mukula has no points yet in 2025, and he’s hungrier than a rally fan at a nyama choma stall. With both of them having experience on Rwandan soil, expect elbows out from stage one.
Don’t forget the local legends. Rwanda’s rally champion Christian Kanangire is strapping in with one goal domination. But someone please warn the marshals: Giancarlo Davite is also in the mix, and these two have a rivalry that could set fire to a wet forest. It’s ego vs. ego, and quite frankly, Bugesera isn’t ready.
Let’s shift gears literally. Rwanda’s rally sweetheart Kalimpinya Queen is about to get a visit from a fierce duo across the border. Introducing the mum-and-daughter squad, Tinashe Gatimu and co-driver Caroline Gatimu, in their matching Subaru GC8. This isn’t just a rally – it’s Fast & Furious: Women’s Edition. These ladies aren’t here to wave flags; they’re here to take trophies.
Meanwhile, Uganda is sending in the chaos brigade. Joshua Muwanguzi, in his flashy purple Subaru N12, is not coming to sip milk tea – he’s coming to throw gravel and spray champagne. Right beside him is Isaac Sozzi, also armed with an N12 and also with an agenda: conquer Rwanda and maybe, just maybe, settle a few personal scores on foreign soil.
