Meet Ponsiano Lwakataka  Uganda’s Original Motorsport Daredevil

By Mwambazi Lawrence

If you call yourself a rally fan in Uganda and you’ve never heard of the name  Ponsiano “Mafu Mafu” Lwakataka… my friend, stop lying to yourself. Just admit you’re in the wrong sport, sell your rally T-shirt, and join the nearest church choir you’ll be safer there. This is clearly not your lane literally. Allow me to introduce you to the original certified daredevil of Ugandan motorsport, a man so fearless that even foreign rally crews have gone home with PTSD and tear-stained overalls after meeting him on the stages.

 Ponsiano is not just a rally driver he is a moving national monument, a mechanical hurricane, and a walking “viewer discretion advised” sign.  For 25 years, he has been making engines scream, competitors cry, and fans shout until their voices break.

Once upon a time, in 1998, young Ponsiano decided to join motorsport. But instead of starting with something normal like rallying, he went straight for motocross the noble art of breaking bones for sport while pretending you’re having fun. For two years, he bounced around like a ragdoll on steroids, collecting bruises like trophies and teaching his X-rays to spell his name. By the year 2000, his skeleton had filed a formal complaint with his brain, citing “unpaid overtime” and “excessive shaking,” so he gracefully switched to rallying a sport where at least the car, not the rider, absorbs most of the abuse.

His first car was a humble Toyota Levin, bought for a modest 3 million shillings from Ismail Lule—basically a “just give me something that moves” kind of deal. He teamed up with the late Sgt. Famba, and in his very first rally, he started dead last out of 40 cars basically the official tail-ender. But by Day 2, he was sneaking up to 5th, and by Day 3, he was proudly on the podium in 3rd place. As he says, “I came to rally without money but full of luck” and maybe a little bit of ‘crazy’ too.

In 2001, he upgraded to a Subaru Legacy. Sadly, this car had serious trust issues with finish lines out of 10 events, it only finished one. The rest? Let’s just say they turned into scenic nature walks.

So in 2002, he switched to a Subaru Impreza GC8 and teamed up with George Semakula. Suddenly, Uganda had a rally duo so dangerous, speed limits started shaking. Their rise was quick  11th overall in 2002, then 3rd, then 2nd, and finally Champions of Uganda in 2005.

That year, scrutineers suspected his stage times were too good to be true. They stripped the car looking for magic parts  only to find it was completely standard. Embarrassed, the scrutineer suggested  “We should brain-scan these two for driving like this in a normal car.”

2006 was the year a tree in Akright Estates decided to commit rally suicide by jumping in front of his car. The car was wrecked, and Ponsiano sat out the rest of the season.

In 2007, Ronald Sebuguzi hit him up with the classic challenge: “Mukomewo mbayigirize bwebavuga emotoka”  which roughly means, “Come back so I can school you on driving.” Spoiler alert: Ponsiano came back like a rally ninja, won 5 out of 6 rallies, and left Sebuguzi holding that “lesson” in tears probably Googling “how to drive like a champion” while crying into his steering wheel. Lesson learned? Never challenge Ponsiano unless you want your ego crushed and your tear ducts activated.

That same year, Zimbabwean superstar Conrad Rautenbach rolled up to the Pearl of Africa Rally in a shiny Subaru N10, looking like he just stepped out of a car commercial. By the end of the rally, Ponsiano’s trusty old GC8 had humbled him so badly, rumors started flying that Conrad’s tear ducts actually filed a police report for emotional abuse. Talk about a comeback story GC8: 1, Shiny Subaru: 0, and a whole lot of salty Zimbabwean pride left on the track.

In 2008, Ponsiano took a break and handed the keys to his wife Rose Lwakataka. Now, you’d think she’d drive gently. My friend  she was as lethal as him. Paired with Semakula, she tackled the Pearl Rally and emerged best national crew. Moral of the story: if you marry a Lwakataka, you marry speed.

In 2009, Ponsiano returned behind the wheel of a Subaru N8 with co-driver Musa Nsubuga, forming a duo that was basically rally’s version of Batman and Robin—minus the capes, but with all the speed. Then came 2010, and what a season! He jumped into the title battle like a lion chasing its prey, going head-to-head with Susan “Super Lady” Muwonge. Even though he started the season two events late he pushed that fight all the way to the final rally. But just when everyone was biting their nails, his engine decided to pull a dramatic “Nope, not today!” and betrayed him, handing Susan her first title and leaving Ponsiano to practice his “I’ll get you next time” face.

2011 was sweet revenge  the year Ponsiano together with Musa Nsubuga took the KCB Pearl of Africa Rally trophy home. It wasn’t just a win; it was them politely telling the motorsport world, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, class is back in session.’ Competitors were left staring at the dust like it was an art exhibition they didn’t buy tickets for.”

2012 saw him reunite with Semakula and go head-to-head against Jas Mangat’s N12 in a rivalry so fierce  Both of them finishing the same rally? About as rare as finding a boda boda with a full tank and a clean helmet basically, it was a big surprise every time it happened, leaving fans wondering if the rally gods were just messing with them.

2014 was rough  Ponsiano spent a whole year in Masaka prison for crimes he swears he didn’t commit But then, in 2016, just two weeks before the Mbarara Rally, he got released like a surprise guest at a party. And guess what? His fans had already gone full rally fairy godmother mode and prepared his rally car, proving that while the law might lock you up, true fans keep your wheels spinning and your spirit turbo-charged.

He jumped in, raced, and finished 2nd overall. The car earned the nickname “Manyi Ga Bantu”  The Power of the People. Because in Uganda, you may imprison the man, but you cannot imprison the speed.

In 2019, his fans came together and fundraised to buy him a mighty Subaru N12b  formerly Jas Mangat’s, so you know it came with a history of stealing podiums and hearts. At his very first rally with the beast, he roared to 3rd overall, making everyone wonder if the car had secretly been injected with rocket fuel overnight. The beast had arrived, and the competition suddenly started checking their mirrors a little more nervously.

2022 was shaping up to be the ultimate fairy tale   Ponsiano was leading the championship with two rounds to go, practically holding the trophy in one hand and a victory dance playlist in the other. Then, in true Mafu Mafu “plot twist” style, he got imprisoned again. Yep, apparently, rally fame comes with a side of “you’re going to jail” these days. But even from behind bars, he was still leading after the penultimate event  talk about driving the championship from his cell! Unfortunately, Byron Rugomoka swooped in during the last round and snatched the title, probably while Ponsiano was busy perfecting his prison break strategy.

Now in 2025, four events have been run. Ponsiano and Paul Musazi have won three of them. Competitors are sweating, fans are screaming, and the trophy shelf at his home is probably filing for expansion rights.
Ponsiano Lwakataka is not just a rally driver. He’s a walking plot twist, a national treasure, and Uganda’s official supplier of competitor tears. And as long as there’s fuel in the tank and a stage to conquer, Mafu Mafu will keep writing new chapters in his wild, untamed story.

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