Excitement Peaks as Mbale Hosts Ceremonial Start of 2026 MPU Rally
By Mwambazi Lawrence
Mbale came alive this evening excitement filled the air when 30 crews were officially flagged off for the 2026 MPU Mbale Rally, marking a spectacular start to the opening round of the KCB national rally championship. Following scrutineering earlier today at Shell Elgon, crews headed to the ceremonial start at KCB Bank Mbale branch, where thousands of passionate fans gathered, eager to witness a motorsport spectacle many described as “long overdue.”
Thousands of fans flooded the area, climbing anything climbable trees, verandas, boda bodas (yes, even moving ones)just to catch a glimpse of the cars. For a moment, Mbale forgot about everything else; it was all about turbo sounds, rev limiters, and drivers pretending to look calm while secretly calculating how not to overshoot the first corner tomorrow morning.
Day One now shifts the action to Budaka District, where the real business begins. The Ali Katumba stage (13.50km) will open the rally, a distance short enough to look friendly on paper but long enough to expose anyone who woke up thinking this is a Sunday drive. Then comes the Dusman Okee stage a 13.16km stretch that will test not just cars, but also relationships between drivers and co-drivers. Expect phrases like “you said left, not LEFT LEFT!” echoing inside cockpits. Both stages will be repeated, meaning if a crew makes a mistake the first time, they’ll get a second chance… to make it again properly.
The day will climax with a super special stage at Maluku Stadium, where drivers will go head-to-head in front of fans. This is where skill meets showmanship some will race, others will entertain, and a few might accidentally invent new driving lines that were never in the route notes.
Fans should expect serious speed in the opening stages, but the weather might have its own rally license. If rain shows up, the roads will turn into a sliding competition, where even the most confident drivers will suddenly remember their prayers mid-corner.
Day Two takes crews to Bukedea District for more punishment ,sorry, competition with two stages run twice before the final power stage. This is where drivers suddenly discover extra bravery (or madness) as they chase bonus points, knowing very well that one small mistake can turn a podium dream into a long walk back to the service park.
Among the notable crews are KCB-backed stars Nasser Mutebi and Mike Mukula, alongside the ever-entertaining Duncan Mubiru “Kikankane,” who will be unleashing his Ford Fiesta Proto an car that sounds like it’s always angry at something. Moses Lumala joins the Proto squad, while Musa Ssegaabwe has arrived with a fresh Škoda Fabia RS N5, a machine so clean that mechanics are probably still arguing about who will put the first scratch on it.
As the dust settles on the ceremonial start, one thing is clear: the battle lines are drawn, the fans are ready, and the drivers are somewhere between confident and “we shall see tomorrow morning.”
The first stage kicks off at exactly 08:38hrs, and from that moment on, it’s every driver for themselves flat out, sideways, and hoping the car holds together longer than their nerves.
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