ARC:THE PEARL OF AFRICA RALLY IS JUST SEVEN DAYS AWAY

The 2026 Shell V-Power Pearl of Africa Rally, a premier event in African motorsport, is just a week away, kicking off on May 7th in Western Uganda.

This year’s rally promises to be the biggest yet, with a record-breaking 65 entries from across the continent, including 23 crews competing for African Rally Championship (ARC) points.

45 entries from Uganda, 10 from Kenya and 4 from Tanzania and Rwanda each, then 1 from India and Ethiopia

Mbarara and Kiruhura districts are set to host the three-day event, which will feature top drivers from Uganda and beyond.

Uganda’s defending champion, Yasin Nasser, navigated by Ali Katumba, leads the charge in the ARC category, driving a Ford Fiesta R5.

Other top contenders iinclude 2025 ARC Champion Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan in a Skoda Fabia R5, Ahmed Huwel from Tanzania, and Jasmeet Chana, aka “Iceman,” from Kenya, in a Ford Fiesta R5.

The rally will cover 569.16 kilometers, including 201.85 kilometers of competitive stages.

Shell, Vivo Energy, KCB Bank Uganda, Uganda Police, and Uganda Prisons are the lead sponsors of this year’s event, which is round two of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship and the KCB National Rally Championship.