Rally ace Jas Mangat has made a return to compete in the FMU National Rally Championship (NRC) 2024 calendar opener, the MPU Mbarara City rally due this Saturday and Sunday.

Mangat who last raced in the fateful 2019 edition that ended prematurely following an accident that claimed one life, in the last section, returns after having missed the last three editions.

The higly competitive driver that boasts of three Mbarara rally titles, returns in a different style, this time with a monster, a Hyundai I20 R5, the first of its kind to race on the tricky fast sections of the Mbarara flatlands.

Off a Mitsubishi EVO X, Mangat will pause a stiff competition the fans will want to watch, facing off with the Ford drivers, defending champion Yassin Nasser (Ford Fiesta Nemo R5) and Ronald Ssebugizi (Ford Fiesta Proto).

The three also face a challenge from top actors Duncan Mubiru (Subaru Impreza GVB), Ponsiano Lwakataka (Subaru Impreza N12) with 2022 NRC champion Byron Rugomoka (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) and Jonas Kasiime (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8) all eyeing a podium finish while home boy Didas Matsiko in  Subaru Impreza N14 dwells on home support.

Mangat’s new machine passed the test on debut with last years’ ARC championship ender in Iringa, Tanzania, which he won with a time of 1:51:27.6 ahead of eventual champion Karan Patel, who came  second.

Fast sections

Mbarara rally has always given the drivers a good challenge of fast, flat and smooth roads on which the sections are designed.

Almost all the 39 crews in this event that starts Saturday, have all raced in these roads even with the warning of the event Clerk of Course (COC) Jackson Sserwanga.

“Mbarara is referred to as the Finland of Uganda for Finland has the fastest routes in world rally championship, so the event is 90% smooth with fast sections and that is why we have deployed a big number of safety martials (177), police officers (80) and soldiers,” Sserwanga said.

Adding, “We expect fast cars and we don’t want people to be near the roads. For that we have introduced Chicanes in towns where these cars are going to pass so to control their speed,”

Super Special Stage on tarmac

On top of the fast routes designed for the event, the super special stage has also been organized on a tarmac.

The section that will cover 6km, has been designed at Booma Golf course in the heart of Mbarara City which has all been tarmacked since the last event last year when it was still murram and it will be the first time the event will have this stage on tarmac in Uganda.

This will call for drivers to have different tires for the sections and also for the special stage and Sserwanga says this will be the most entertaining for the fans.  

Prizes at stake

This year’s edition of the MPU Mbarara City rally has been organized differently better than last year’s for every driver will receive a certificate on top of a cash prize and 10 trophies for the first 10 drivers overall.

According to MPU president Danniel Bogere, each of the first three top drivers in the National Rally Championship (NRC), 2 wheel drive (2WD) and Clubman’s Rally Championship (CRC) will receive a cash prize  and trophies will be given to the first 10 drivers overall.

There are also trophies for the first three drivers in the 2WD, CRC, Premier division, Division I, Division II and certificates for all the participants.

MPU Mbarara City Rally 2024 entries

1. Lumu John Burrows/Katumba Duncun-Subaru Impreza

2. Hajj Ahmed Senyonjo/Hamza Ssengabi-Toyota Corolla 

3. Musa Ssegaabwe/Mathias Kiyega-Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9

4. Yasin Nasser/Joseph Kamya-Ford Fiesta R5 Nemo 

5. Kayira Faizal/Kamoga Hakim-Subaru Impreza

6. Watendwa Samuel/Luyimbazi Alvin Francis-Toyota Fx

7. Kirumira Edward/Nabwami Shakirah-Toyota Corona

8. Mukula Micheal/Edward Kiyingi-Subaru Impreza N14

9. Ssozi Isaac/Monica Birwinyo-Subaru Impreza N8

10. Sadat Negomba/Lumu Isaac-Toyota Fx

11. Kavuma Amiri/Nabira Doreen-Subaru Impreza

12. Muwanguzi Joshua/Lwanga Hamuza-Subaru Impreza N12

13. Kalule Peter/Mwesigwa David-Subaru Impreza XV

14. Balondemu Gilberto/Walugyo Gilberto-Toyota Corolla

15. Issa Nyanzi/Nassar Samir-Subaru Impreza

16. Kyebambe John Paul/Mungufeni Phinehas-Subaru Impreza GC8 

17. Unissan Bakunda/Asuman Muhamad-Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9

18. Niwagaba Odeon/Tumwebaze-Toyota Altezza 

19. Wotolya Muzamiru Mwami/Lubambula Kevin Micheal-Subaru Impreza N8

20. Dr. Nsereko Godfrey/JB. Musisi-Toyota Runx

21. Hajj Gasembe Salim/Emmanuel Mugulusi-Subaru Impreza N12

22. W01 Ismail Lule/Another-Golf 

23. Moses Okello/Ismail Musoke-Toyota Vitz

24. Kataza Haruna/Mariam Nambasa-Subaru Impreza N10

25. Ibrahim Lubega/Another-Toyota FX

26. Busulwa Fred Kitaka/ Another-Subaru Impreza N10

27. Didas Matsiko/Alfred Mutanda-Subaru Impreza

28. Julius Semambo/Nagawa Diana-Toyota FX 

29. Ali Omar/Wazir Omar-Mitsubishi Evo 4

30. Byron Rugomoka/Hakim Mawanda -Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X

31. Kasiime Jonas/Matayo Bukenya Ronald-Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8

32. Ponsiano Lwakataka/Paul Musaazi-Subaru Impreza N12B 

33. Ronald Sebuguzi/Anthony Mugambwa-Ford Fiesta Proto 

34. Dr. Mukasa Moustapha/Mwambazi Lawrence-Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9

35. 69 Topher Kateera Nurdin Bilal CRC Subaru Impreza GC8 S CRC

36. Timothy Gawaya/Francis Wamala-Ibiza 

37. Jas Mangat/Enock Olinga-Hyundai i20

38. Brian Kavuma/Eric Lubuuka-Subaru Impreza

39. Duncan Mubiru/Joseph Bongole-Subaru Impreza GVB