Speedsters chase points in Mbarara

Duncan ‘Kikankane’ Mubiru engages the flying mode during a recent sprint in Garuga. Mubiru, who cruises a Subaru N14, will gets off the ramp in fifth place. PHOTO BY JB SSENKUBUGE

What you need to know:

In the absence of reigning National Rally Champion Jas Mangat, an elite field will be in fray this morning seeking to give their 2014 title ambitions flying starts.

Kampala- Safety of rally spectators is often one of the biggest issues at most rally events.

At last year’s corresponding rally, Ronald Ssebuguzi, who is expected to be flagged off first in this morning’s Mbarara Rally, failed to complete the race after he knocked down a Boda boda rider.

For that reason, Mbarara Motor Club (MMC), the organisers of the rally, have moved this year’s race to the sparsely populated areas of Kyamugulanyi, Kanyanyeru and Rushozi to reduce the risk of having to endure many accidents. “We designed a route with the human traffic controlled,” David Nsobya, the Clerk of the Course (COC), told Sunday Monitor.

“The route is also 70 per cent smooth and we expect a fast race.”

Mangat out
Jas Mangat, winner of the last two National Rally Championship (NRC) titles, was expected to get off the ramp first but he opted out of the event.
Crowd favourite Ssebuguzi will now take the honours and get onto the competition route first hence being the hunted.

The hunters
Omar Mayanja, Edson Mungyereza, Dr Ashraf Ahmed and Duncan ‘Kikankane’ Mubiru will hunt down Ssebuguzi in that order.

The 336.04km event, according to Nsobya, will have four competitive sections. The Kyamugolani-Rushozi section at 82.2km is the longest.

“That longest (Kyamugolani) section is likely to be the hardest,” predicted Fred Wampamba one of the drivers after reccing in mid week.

The other sections include the Kyeibega-Rushozi (38.3km) and the Kanyaryeru-Biharwe (14.4km) which is the shortest.

PROVISIONAL START LIST
1. Ronald Ssebuguzi
2. Omar Mayanja
3. Edson Mungyereza
4. Dr. Ashraf Ahmed
5. Duncan ‘Kikankane’ Mubiru

Past Mbarara Rally winners
Ponsiano Lwakataka 2013
Jas Mangat 2012
Susan Muwonge 2011
Ponsiano Lwakataka 2010

Most recent NRC winners
Jas Mangat 2013
Jas Mangat 2012
Susan Muwonge 2011
Nasser Mutebi 2010
Ronald Ssebuguzi 2009