Mkwawa Rally Chief Media Officer, Michael Maluwe, confirmed that Prof. Kabudi will headline the official opening of the event, which has attracted drivers from across the continent
Dar es Salaam. The Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi, will be the guest of honour at the Mkwawa Rally of Tanzania, a major leg of the African Rally Championship (ARC), which revs off tomorrow in Morogoro.
Mkwawa Rally Chief Media Officer, Michael Maluwe, confirmed yesterday that Prof. Kabudi will headline the official opening of the event, which has attracted drivers from across the continent.
Dignitaries from the Mkwawa Group of Companies, international officials from the International Automobile Federation (FIA), race supervisors from the Automobile Association of Tanzania (AAT), and representatives from the Tanzania Forest Services (TFS) will also grace the occasion.
The launch ceremony will take place at the Mkwawa Leaf Serengeti Factory in Morogoro, with live performances led by Bongo Flava star Marioo and other celebrated artists. Maluwe noted that the rally is expected to draw thousands of motorsport fans from Tanzania and beyond, including Uganda, Kenya, and Burundi.
Locally, spectators will travel from Arusha, Mbeya, Iringa, Dodoma, Tanga, and Dar es Salaam, while the Amapiano Motorsports team adds colour to the showpiece.
Drivers have already checked in for registration and documentation, with today’s schedule including route reconnaissance (Recce) and vehicle scrutineering at Mkwawa Leaf headquarters.
FIA supervisors have inspected the rally stages and approved safety protocols. The event is powered by Mkwawa Group of Companies as the main sponsor, alongside TFS and Azam TV.
African Rally Championship showdowN
The Mkwawa Rally doubles as the final ARC round, where Uganda’s Yassin Nasser and Kenya’s Samman Vohra will lock horns in a title-deciding clash. With only a handful of points separating them, the duel promises fireworks as both chase continental glory.
National Rally Championship Stage
On the domestic scene, the rally represents the fourth round of the National Rally Championship (NRC), with the season finale set for November in Arusha.
Defending champion Manveer Birdi (Mitsubishi Evo 09) faces a tough test from his brother Randeep Singh (Mitsubishi Evo 09), Gurpal Sandhu (Mitsubishi Evo 10), and Ahmed Huwel (Toyota Yaris R5), who is determined to reclaim his crown. Other serious contenders include Shehzad Munge, Samir Nahdi Shanto, Altafu Mungu, and Dharam Pandya.
International presence
International entries add flair, with Uganda’s Hassan Alwi (Ford Proto), Kenya’s Akif Virani (Skoda Fabia), and Burundi’s Mohammed Roshanali (Subaru Impreza NR4) among the stars.
They will battle top Tanzanian drivers such as Ahmed Farid Vigwaza, Waleed Nahdi, Prince Charles, and Charles Bicco.
Fans can expect exhilarating action as powerful machines—six R5 cars, three Ford Protos, and three Mitsubishi Evo Xs—tear through Morogoro’s demanding terrain.
