Pasuwa targets Subaru N14 after a decade of 2WD

For 10 years, Ibrahim Lubega "Pasuwa" has built a reputation that extends beyond Uganda's rally stages

His name is familiar not only to motorsport enthusiasts, but also to football followers and fishing communities.

Now, after a decade of remarkable success in two-wheel-drive (2WD) rallying, the five-time champion believes the time has come to trade his Toyota FX for a more powerful machine.

Pasuwa is targeting a factory-prepared Subaru N14, a move he hopes will open the door to competing in the African Rally Championship (ARC).

His journey started modestly, initially expected to serve as a route opener before his first competitive outing changed his ambitions.

"I thought I would only come into the sport as a route opener. But after finishing seventh overall in my first event, my elder brother Musa Mulika encouraged me to continue because he was already in the sport," Pasuwa recalled.

His rise to prominence was particularly evident in 2022 when he engaged in fierce battles with fellow 2WD competitors Oscar Ntambi and Samuel Watendwa.

The trio breathed new life into the category, producing some of the most intense battles before all three eventually moved to four-wheel-drive machinery. Watendwa progressed from a Toyota Corolla to a Subaru Prodrive, while Ntambi moved from an Altezza to a Mitsubishi Evo X.

Their move has now created another intriguing prospect,  meeting again at the top level, this time with more powerful machines. But for Pasuwa to join them, a major financial push is required.

He launched his fundraising campaign on Wednesday at Cooper Chimney in Lugogo, targeting $50,000 for the factory-prepared Subaru N14.

Valuni Power Centre has become the first major partner, pledging $5,000 towards the project. The company has worked with Pasuwa for the past decade.

"We have been with Pasuwa for the last 10 years. He is a performer, and his actions resonate with our motto. This is only the beginning because I know what he can do with the right car," Valuni representative Ivan Luzze said.

Pasuwa's motorsport roots run deep. His uncles, Adam Mukasa and Gema Semakula, competed during the sport's formative years in the late 1980s, while his elder brother, Hajji Musa Mulika, remains an active driver in a Subaru GC8.

Mulika believes his younger brother's achievements have already surpassed those of the family's previous generation.

"He is the biggest name in our family despite being younger. In a short time, he has achieved more than many of us. Give him the right machine and he will beat many drivers," Mulika said.

He recently made his international debut at Rwanda's Mt Gorilla Rally, but mechanical problems forced him to retire.

The fundraising campaign will climax with a dinner at Kati Kati Restaurant on December 5, as Pasuwa seeks to turn 10 years of 2WD success into the launchpad for a new chapter in his rally career.