Flying Chick Rose Lwakataka Ready To Take On The Men At Garuga Fundraising Sprint
By Mwambazi Lawrence
Rose is set to make a brief return to action at the Ponsiano Lwakataka Fundraising Sprint at Garuga on September 20, an event celebrating 25 years of her husband Ponsiano Lwakataka’s remarkable journey in motorsport while also raising funds towards his rallying comeback. The event is expected to attract a strong field of rally drivers, but Rose is not returning merely to wave at the crowd or cheer from the sidelines. She is preparing to take the fight to the men.
The name “Flying Chick” once sent shivers through the rally fraternity, and now, after years away from serious competition, Rose Lwakataka is preparing to remind Uganda’s motorsport family exactly why she earned that nickname.
For those who remember Uganda’s rally scene in the 2000s, Rose Lwakataka needs little introduction. Known affectionately as “Flying Chick”, she was one of the few women willing to throw a rally car into the same corners, braking zones and dusty battles as the men. In 2006, contemporary reports recorded Rose driving a Subaru N4 back in the day.
Rose’s competitive spirit was not something that appeared overnight. Her husband, Ponsiano, had already established himself as one of Uganda’s leading rally drivers before encouraging Rose to enter the sport. After several years of supporting his racing career, Rose eventually stepped from the support team into the driver’s seat and quickly proved that she was not there simply because she was married to a champion.
Her defining season came in 2008, when Rose produced one of the most memorable performances of her career. Driving alongside navigator George Ssemakula, she finished seventh overall in the Pearl of Africa Rally, emerging as the highes placed Ugandan crew. That performance earned her several accolades, including Best Local Crew, CRC Lady Driver/Clubman Rally Champion and Best Sportswoman, while the Uganda Sports Press Association named her its Sports Personality of the Month for April 2008.
The nickname “Flying Chick” was more than a marketing slogan. It captured Rose’s aggressive approach behind the wheel. Her style was fast, fearless and competitive exactly the ingredients required when going head-to-head with the men in a sport where hesitation can cost seconds and seconds can cost positions.
Rose was also part of a pioneering generation of Ugandan female competitors. Alongside drivers such as Laila Mayanja and Susan Muwonge, she helped challenge the long-standing perception that rallying was strictly a man’s game. Susan Muwonge would later become one of Uganda’s most successful female rally drivers, and has spoken about the influence of women such as Rose and Laila on her own entry into motorsport.
Interestingly, Rose’s return to Garuga comes at a venue that has featured prominently in Uganda’s female motorsport story. It was at Garuga that Susan Muwonge began her rally journey in 2007, while Rose had already been taking on male competitors there. The circuit therefore provides an appropriate stage for the brief return of one of the women who helped open the door for others.
But this time there is an even bigger reason for Rose to put her helmet back on.
The sprint is being held as part of Ponsiano Lwakataka’s 25-year celebration in the cockpit, while also supporting his campaign to raise funds towards his rallying programme. The fundraising drive is targeting Shs220 million, with the Ruparelia Group recently contributing Shs25 million towards the campaign. And with Ponsiano preparing to unleash his much-talked-about VW Polo Proto, the Lwakataka family is clearly not coming to Garuga simply to pose for photographs.
Rose’s return adds another fascinating chapter to the family’s motorsport story. Ponsiano spent years building his reputation as one of Uganda’s toughest rally drivers, while Rose carved out her own identity in the same unforgiving sport. Their story has always been one where family, business and motorsport have shared the same garage. The big question is whether the men at Garuga are ready for Flying Chick 2.0. The men can bring their Evos, Subarus, Protos and horsepower charts. Rose will bring something much harder to measure experience, racing instinct and the knowledge of what it feels like to stare down a field of male drivers and refuse to give them an easy ride.
Garuga on September 20 will therefore be more than a fundraising sprint. It will be a celebration of Ponsiano Lwakataka’s 25 years in motorsport, a gathering of Uganda’s racing fraternity and, potentially, the return of one of the country’s pioneering female speed merchants.
Rose Lwakataka is back. The men have been warned.
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