Pearl of Africa Rally
Encyclopedia
Pearl of Africa Rally or Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally is one of the main motorsport events in Uganda
. It is part of the National Rally Championship and the FIA African Rally Championship
(ARC).
's Great Lakes Rally in Uganda in 1996. The Great Lakes Rally was moved to Uganda due to political instability in Burundi
. Inspired by the success of the Great Lakes Rally, Uganda decided to apply for its own African Rally Championship event in 1997.
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
. It is part of the National Rally Championship and the FIA African Rally Championship
African Rally Championship
The African Rally Championship is an international automobile rally championship organized by the FIA. The championship was first held in 1981 and won by Shekhar Mehta...
(ARC).
Origins
The first edition of the Pearl of Africa Rally was held in 1997 as an African Rally Championship candidate event. This followed the successful organisation of BurundiBurundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
's Great Lakes Rally in Uganda in 1996. The Great Lakes Rally was moved to Uganda due to political instability in Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
. Inspired by the success of the Great Lakes Rally, Uganda decided to apply for its own African Rally Championship event in 1997.
Past winners of Pearl of Africa Rally
- 1996 - Karim Hirji / Frank Nekusa (Uganda) - Toyota Celica ST 185 (run under FIA rules as the Great Lakes Rally, jointly with Club Automobile du Burundi)
- 1997 - Chipper Adams / Justin Beyendeza (Uganda)- Toyota Supra (run for the first time as the Pearl of Africa Rally, ARC candidate event)
- 1998 - Charles Muhangi / Steven Byaruhanga (Uganda) - Subaru Impreza
- 1999 - Chipper Adams / Justin Beyendeza(Uganda) - Toyota Supra
- 2000 - Charlie Lubega / Abed Musa (Uganda) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4
- 2001 - Paul Bailey / ANO (EAK) - Toyota ST 205 (ex Emmanuel Katto). The event was boycotted by leading local drivers due to wrangles over who was responsible for the governing and sanctioning of Motor sport in Uganda (AAU & FMU). The event was organised by AAU.
- 2002 - Johnny Gemmel /Robert Paisley (South Africa) - Subaru Impreza
- 2003 - Charlie Lubega / Abed Musa' (Uganda) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4
- 2004 - Charlie Lubega / Abed Musa (Uganda) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4
- 2005 - Riyaz Kurji / Sayed Kadri (Uganda) - Subaru Impreza N10
- 2006 - Riyaz Kurji / Sayed Kadri (Uganda) - Subaru Impreza N8
- 2007 - Conrad RautenbachConrad RautenbachConrad Rautenbach is a rally driver from Zimbabwe who competed in the World Rally Championship for the Citroën Junior Team along with his co-driver Daniel Barritt...
/ Peter Marsh (Zimbabwe) - Subaru Impreza N10 - 2008 - James Whyte / Phillip Archenoul (Zimbabwe) - Subaru Impreza N10
- 2009 - Riyaz Kurji / Sayed Kadri (Uganda) - Subaru Impreza N8
- Kurji crashed fatally while leading the rally. The rally was halted due to the accident and Kurji declared the winner