Rukaari is FMU individual sponsor of the year
Rukaari (R) receiving his sponsor's trophy from FMU president Dipu Ruparelia. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Accepting his award, Rukaari, the national chairman of the NRM's entrepreneurs league, vowed to continue supporting the sport as a champion of sports tourism and entrepreneurship through sports. He is also the president Uganda National Chamber of Trade and Investment.
For his consistent sponsorship of the motorsport and successfully organising the 2022 Mbarara Rally, Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari emerged the individual sponsor of the year, at the Federation of Motor Sport in Uganda (FMU) awards.
Rukaari, the Mbarara City North Member of Parliament, has since 2019 organised the annual Rukaari Rally in Mbarara, attracting big names like Rajiv Ruparelia as well as two-time Uganda National Rally Champion Ponsiano Lwakataka who captured victory at the 2022 Lake Mburo Rally, claiming his fourth win in the Mbarara sprint sponsored by Rukaari. Other big names that have participated include Ronald Ssebuguzi, Arthur Blick and champion Duncan 'Kinkane' Mubiru.
The federation launched the annual awards in 2015 to celebrate the outstanding stakeholders in the development of the sport, though they were last given out in 2017.
Various stakeholders sponsor the different awards in different categories.
According to FMU, the objective of the awards is to recognize the past and drive to the future.
According to FMU, the objective of the awards is to recognize the past and drive to the future. "We have had very many outstanding individuals since 1950s some of them dead and others still living, therefore we are going to profile all these individuals and celebrate their contribution to the sport," said FMU boss Dipu Ruparelia at the awards ceremony at Kabira Club in Kampala.
Among the categories for which awards are given includes: the FMU annual awards to the 2014 champions in all classes, most outstanding individuals of all times, outstanding media house of the year and outstanding sponsors of all times.
Accepting his award, Rukaari, the national chairman of the NRM's entrepreneurs league, vowed to continue supporting the sport as a champion of sports tourism and entrepreneurship through sports. He is also the president Uganda National Chamber of Trade and Investment.
Meanwhile, driver Yasin Nasser received his gongs as the winner of the 2019 NRC crown and the 2021 ARC Two winner, thanks to his thrilling performance on the continent, though his major target is still the premier ARC crown, once won by the late Charles Muhangi.
