motorsport 7 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally Kicks Off After Competitive Shakedown
The Shell V-Power Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally has officially begun with its qualifying stage and shakedown, setting the tone for an exciting weekend of racing. Kenyan driver Samman Vohra leads after the initial stages. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/sports/motor-sport/pearl-of-africa-uganda-rally-roars-to-life-after-shakedown-5450962
The highly anticipated Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, a crucial round of the Africa Rally Championship (ARC), has officially roared to life following its qualifying stage and shakedown.
While the shakedown often serves to determine starting positions rather than impact final results, it proved significant for some crews. Kenyan driver Samman Vohra, navigating with Drew Sturrock in a Skoda Fabia R5, emerged victorious in the 4.66km qualifying stage and 3.77km shakedown held at Mwesigwa Resort in Mbarara.
Vohra’s impressive time of three minutes and 47.3 seconds gives him a 6.4-second lead over fellow Kenyan and two-time Pearl Rally winner, Karan Patel, who is partnered with Tauseef Khan in another Skoda Fabia.
The Tanzanian pairing of Ahmed Huwel and Viljem Oslaj secured third place, narrowly beating reigning African champions Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba of Uganda, who will be the highest-placed local crew to start the main race in their Ford Fiesta.
The rivalry between Skoda and Ford machinery is expected to be a focal point of the rally, with reports suggesting Skoda’s reliability and durability on rough terrain give it an edge.
Beyond the continental battle, many Ugandan drivers will be vying for points in the National Rally Championship (NRC).
The rally officially commenced with a ceremonial start at Lake View Resort in Mbarara after a day of practice and qualifying. The competitive stages begin on Friday, covering a total of 188.39km of timed sections across the event, which spans a total distance of 567.22km.
This year’s event is the second round of the FIA African Rally Championship season, with more rounds scheduled in Rwanda and Tanzania.