Mbale set to host National Rally Championship season opener

The motorsport fraternity in Mbale District is celebrating after the Federation of Motorsport Clubs in Uganda (FMU) granted approval for the region to resume hosting rally events, ending a seven-year break since the conclusion of the 2018 season.

The National Rally Championship (NRC) season opener is scheduled for March 27–28 in Mbale. Organized by the Motor Sport Promo Uganda Club, the event promises high-octane action against the backdrop of Mbale’s scenic landscapes.

This milestone marks a turning point for FMU as it begins implementing the Sports Act 2023, using the rally as a showcase of its commitment to the regulations and standards outlined in the new law.

The last rally in Mbale, the Oryx Energies Elgon Rally, served as the grand finale of the 2018 NRC season. That event saw Suzan Muwonge and her navigator Edmond Kyeyune clinch victory in dramatic fashion after frontrunner Hassan Alwi suffered a puncture in the final stage and was penalized for unauthorized mechanical repairs.

Mbale City, famed for its natural beauty including the Wanale Ridge, Mount Elgon, and the Sipi Falls, is expected to attract large crowds from Kampala and the Eastern Region.

According to Jackson Sserwanga, FMU’s Assistant General Secretary, the federation is determined to expand motorsport across Uganda in line with the National Council of Sports directive that priority sports federations must operate in at least 75% of the country’s 146 districts.

“The old system, where organizing clubs alone decided hosting districts, has been replaced with a more inclusive approach. FMU officials are now central to the decision-making process,” Sserwanga explained.

He noted that Mbale was chosen over Mbarara City, which has traditionally hosted the season opener, because Mbarara is already set to host this year’s Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally.

Event coordinator Evely Kobusingye, Administrator of the Motor Sport Promo Club, confirmed that routes designed to highlight the beauty of Mount Elgon are ready for competition.

“We are ecstatic to have secured the season opener hosting rights. All preparations are complete, and we look forward to delivering the most spectacular and secure event in Ugandan motorsport history,” Kobusingye said.