Rwanda’s Queen Kalimpinya Targets Mbale NRC Opener as Focus Shifts From Safari Rally
By Mwambazi Lawrence
With the dust finally settling from the Safari Rally Kenya, attention across the region’s motorsport fraternity now shifts to the opening round of the KCB Uganda National Rally Championship. The event is scheduled to take place in Mbale District from 27th to 29th March 2026, marking the official start of Uganda’s national rally season.
Organized under the banner of the MPU Mbale Rally, the event is expected to attract a competitive field of local and regional drivers eager to kick-start their championship campaigns. With barely two weeks remaining, teams are already intensifying preparations as they fine-tune their machines and strategies for the fast and flowing eastern Uganda terrain.
The Mbale rally is also viewed as a crucial build-up event to the prestigious KCB Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, which will take place in Mbarara in May. As one of the biggest motorsport events in the region, the Pearl Rally doubles as the 2nd round of the African Rally Championship and often attracts top drivers from across the region. The Mbale event will therefore provide teams with a valuable opportunity to test their cars and sharpen their pace ahead of the continental showdown.
Adding an exciting international flavor to the championship opener is the participation of Rwanda’s reigning national rally champion, Queen Kalimpinya. Fresh from competing at the Safari Rally Kenya, Kalimpinya has confirmed that she will be lining up for the KCB-sponsored Uganda National Rally Championship season opener in Mbale.
Kalimpinya, one of the rising stars in East African rallying, is using the Ugandan championship round as part of her preparations for a strong campaign in the 2026 African Rally Championship. The Mbale event will offer her the much-needed seat time behind the wheel as she builds rhythm and consistency ahead of the continental battle.
Sources close to the team indicate that the crew is currently en route back to Kigali following their Safari Rally adventure, while their rally car is already being prepared for shipment to Uganda where final mechanical checks and rally preparations will be carried out before the event.
Kalimpinya’s participation is expected to significantly raise the profile of the Mbale rally and add another layer of competition against Uganda’s established drivers. With regional talent joining the local stars, fans can anticipate a thrilling start to the 2026 rally season as engines roar back to life in eastern Uganda.
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