The Inspirational Rise of Tanzania’s Waleed Nahdy
By Mwambazi Lawrence
Before you even know it, A new chapter in Tanzanian rallying is being written and It is the story of Waleed Nahdy a man born not merely to chase speed, but to continue a family symphony composed in the language of revs and roaring turbos. From the shadows of his brother’s glory to the spotlight of his own making, Waleed has risen not by chance, but by heritage, by hunger, and by the unmistakable hum of a Subaru that had waited seven long years to find its true voice so If there’s one thing rally fans across East Africa have learned this season, it’s that you should never underestimate the quiet guy in the paddock polishing his helmet. Because behind that calm face might just be another Nahdy plotting to shake up the NRC standings and that’s exactly what Waleed Nahdy has done.
Born on 15th March 1990 in Morogoro to Mr. Saleh and Mrs. Berka, Waleed grew up in a family where engines roared louder than bedtime stories. With his elder brother Shanto Nahdi already burning rubber in rallies as early as 1997, young Waleed didn’t stand a chance rallying was in his DNA, his environment, and probably even his lunchbox.
“I started following Shanto everywhere Iringa, Arusha, Zanzibar you name it,” Waleed recalls with a grin. “At first, I thought I was just there for the samosas and the fun… turns out I was getting hooked.”
By 2001, the Nahdi cousins had formed what would become a legendary unit in Tanzanian motorsport Stado Rally Team a five-man powerhouse consisting of Shanto Nahdi, Talib Nahdi, Ahmed Huwel Nahdi, Davis Mosha, and Omar Bakhresa. And of course, there was young Waleed: not driving yet, but always there greasy hands, bright eyes, and big dreams.
Then tragedy struck. In 2007, the team lost Bakhresa Khalid in a rally accident in Zanzibar. The loss silenced the engines, and the Stado team went on a ten-year hiatus. “It felt like the spirit of rallying had left the house,” Waleed recalls softly. “Even the family dinners were quieter. No one argued about tyres or fuel anymore.” But rally passion doesn’t die it just idles.
But rally blood runs thick, and by 2017, the engines began to hum again. Ahmed Huwel returned to the stages with the first-ever Proto car in East Africa, while Shanto jumped back in with a Subaru N10 the same car that, years later, would spark Waleed’s own career.
Fast forward to 2024, and destiny finally called. After seven long years of the N10 gathering dust, Waleed got the nod from his cousins and like a phoenix rising from the garage, the Subaru fired to life.
His first rally in Iringa was pure fireworks with Bafadhil Awad in the co-driver’s seat, Waleed finished 4th overall. “People thought I came to watch,” he says, “but after the first stage, they were like, ‘Wait, nani huyo ameenda kama mwizi?’”
Then came Morogoro Rally, his home event and let’s just say, the car had a few attitude issues. “It was like the N10 woke up that morning and said, ‘Leo sitaki kufanya kazi,’” Waleed jokes. “But we still finished 6th overall. Even with the car throwing tantrums, we crossed that line!”. It was clear the young Nahdy was not here for decoration.
With full family blessings and sponsors Afroil and Mkwawa Leaf backing him, Waleed rebuilt the car from scratch. The results? 4th in Iringa, 5th in Morogoro, and 6th overall in the Mkwawa Rally of Tanzania, which doubled as the ARC finale. The podium that day was a family photo Ahmed 1st, Shanto 2nd, Waleed 3rd. History made. Three Nahdys. One podium. Zero chill.
Even their sponsors, who once thought rallying was just “Sunday exercise,” are now probably calling marketing agencies to print “The Nahdy Dynasty Fueled by Family, Powered by Afroil.”
Even their sponsors, Afroil and Mkwawa Leaf, who initially thought the team was just out for some weekend fun, are now probably rewriting their marketing strategy to include the words “Family Dominance.”
Currently sitting 3rd in the NRC standings with 80 points, Waleed is far from satisfied. “This year was for fun,” he grins. “Next year, tunakuja na moto. My dream is to drive a Mitsubishi Evo X R4 and go for the championship in two to three years.”
When asked what keeps him motivated, Waleed doesn’t hesitate “My strength comes from my family and my sponsors who believed in me even before they saw me drive. And, of course, from the Subaru N10 that’s now basically part of my soul.”
And so Waleed Nahdy. A man who turned a family’s legacy into his own destiny. From the pits where he once watched in awe, to the podium where he now stands in pride, his journey is more than a race it is a tribute to blood, to belief, and to the unbreakable bond of family. The Subaru may rest between rallies, but within its chassis lives the heartbeat of a dream that refuses to die. For Waleed, this is not the end it is merely the next lap in a story written by courage, fueled by love, and driven by purpose.
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