• MOTORSPORTS

• Frank Rotich 6 hrs ago

Pearl Rally fires up Mbarara as Kenyan drivers race for ARC glory

The 2026 Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally bursts into action on Friday in Mbarara, with Kenya’s top rally drivers hoping to tighten their grip on the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) title race.

After an action-packed Thursday featuring free practice, qualifying, shakedown and the ceremonial start at Lake View Resort, attention now shifts to the demanding gravel stages that will test crews across two tough days of competition.

Kenya’s two-time African champion Karan Patel heads into the rally as the ARC standings leader after a strong performance at the Safari Rally Kenya, where he finally ended his run of retirements. Patel will face fierce competition from defending African champion Yasin Nasser of Uganda, who will enjoy home support in Mbarara.

Young Kenyan driver Samman Vohra also arrives with confidence after his impressive Safari outing that left him third in the continental standings. Kenyan pair Nikhil Sachania and navigator Deep Patel are also expected to challenge strongly in the ARC3 category.

Friday’s opening leg will feature five stages covering 60 competitive kilometres. Crews will tackle the Charles Muhangi stage, named after Uganda’s legendary 1999 African champion, before heading through the Kaguta and Ankole Cow tests.

Saturday will provide the biggest challenge of the rally with nearly 128 competitive kilometres, including the Shell V-Power Power Stage where bonus championship points will be awarded.

This year’s Pearl Rally has attracted one of the strongest foreign entries in recent years, underlining the growing importance of the Ugandan event on the African rally calendar.

The rally is the second round of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship after the Safari Rally Kenya, with Rwanda and Tanzania set to host the next rounds later in the season.

Organisers have promised fast stages, huge crowds and intense competition as East Africa’s best rally drivers battle for continental supremacy in the “land of milk and honey.”