Meet Kibande” The Walter Problem”
By Mwambazi Lawrence
If motorsport had a dictionary, under “Determination” you’d probably find a dusty Subaru Impreza GC8, a battered set of overalls, and a big grin from a man called Kibande Walter or as the rally fraternity knows him, The Walter Problem.
Born 33 years ago in Busembatya and now based in Kireka, Walter was once that guy you’d see drifting through the streets of Kampala and nearby cities the type who’d treat roundabouts like personal racetracks and speed bumps like polite suggestions. But one day, he looked at his life and said, “Enough is enough.” In rally terms, he lifted off the throttle… for about 0.5 seconds… before planting his foot right back down only this time on a proper rally stage.
The push came from none other than Duncan Katumba, now his loyal co-driver, who whispered the dangerous words every street drifter dreams of: “Come, let’s do real rallying.” From that moment, there was no turning back partly because rally cars don’t have reverse gears in their dreams, and partly because the duo had just discovered their calling.
Together, they built their Subaru Impreza GC8 from scratch yes, actual scratch. This was no showroom baby; this was the type of build where bolts are bought one payday at a time and the garage soundtrack is just laughter and stubbornness. In just two years, they’ve experienced the full rally buffet: rolls, a swamp dive at 140 km/h that looked like a National Geographic crocodile hunt, and engine failures that could make a grown man cry. But not these two. No, they just call it “character building.”
Fans now fondly refer to them as the Timon & Pumba of rallying not because they sing Hakuna Matata mid-stage (although it wouldn’t be surprising), but because they’re inseparable, fearless, and always finding the fun in the chaos.
Their journey officially began in 2024 at the Sisa Autocross, and they stunned everyone by finishing second in the Autocross championship right behind Kevin Bebeto. That rookie season was like a rally rom-com: underdogs, big laughs, and just enough drama to keep people hooked.
Come 2025, they graduated to the CRC category and Walter didn’t just show up; he took the wheel like he owned the championship. From the opening round in Mbarara, he’s been leading the CRC standings, a position he refuses to surrender.
Now, with three rounds left on the calendar and Round 5 in Mubende fast approaching, Walter’s mission is as clear as the skid marks he leaves behind: win the category, stay ahead of the pack, and prove that The Walter Problem is actually the Walter Solution.
Because if there’s one thing the rally world has learned, it’s this never underestimate two friends, a homebuilt Subaru, and a dream that refuses to stall.
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