Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally or Pearl of Africa Rally Uganda (PoARU) is one of the main motorsport events in Uganda. It is part of the National Rally Championship and the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC).
Origins
The first edition of the Pearl of Africa Rally was held in 1997 as an African Rally Championship candidate event. This followed the successful organisation of Burundi's Great Lakes Rally in Uganda in 1996. The Great Lakes Rally was moved to Uganda due to political instability in Burundi. Inspired by the success of the Great Lakes Rally, Uganda decided to apply for its own African Rally Championship event in 1997.
As Winston Churchill visited Uganda, he baptised the country as the ‘Pearl of Africa’, that's where this event receives its name from.
Some remarkable drivers in the history of Uganda are Sospeter Munyegera, Shekhar Mehta, Satwant Singh, Charlie Lubega, Moses Lumala, Emmanuel Katto and Chipper Adams, among others.
Past winners of Pearl of Africa Rally
Source: Motor Sport Uganda Motor Sport Uganda, no date: Pearl Of Africa Uganda Rally 2012 - Rally Guide and African Rally ChampionshipAfrican Rally Championship, 15 July 2012: Mohammed Essa crowned Shell Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally 2012 champion – By Fredrick Musisi - Kamplala – Sunday 15 July 2012 19h30 YearDriverCo-driverCarNotes 1996 Karim Hirji Frank NekusaToyota Celica ST 185Run under FIA rules as the Great Lakes Rally, jointly with Club Automobile du Burundi 1997 Chipper Adams Justin BeyendezaToyota SupraRun as the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally - ARC Candidate event 1998 Charles Muhangi Steven ByaruhangaSubaru Impreza 1999 Chipper Adams Justin BeyendezaToyota Supra 2000 Charlie Lubega Abed MusaMitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 2002 Johnny Gemmel Robert PaisleySubaru Impreza WRX 2003 Charlie Lubega Abed MusaMitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 2004 Charlie Lubega Abed MusaMitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 2005 Riyaz Kurji Sayed KadriSubaru Impreza N10 2006 Riyaz Kurji Sayed KadriSubaru Impreza N8Crew run under Kenyan Licence 2007 Conrad Rautenbach Peter MarshSubaru Impreza N10 2008 Jamie Whyte Phil ArchenoulSubaru Impreza N10 2009 Riyaz Kurji Sayed KadriSubaru Impreza N8Prize granted posthumously Daily Monitor, 4 May 2009: Kurji declared winner of rally 2010 Jamie Whyte Phil ArchenoulSubaru Impreza N10 2011 Ponsiano Lwakataka Musa NsubugaSubaru Impreza N8 2012 Mohammed Essa Greg SteadSubaru Impreza N12 2013 Jas Mangat Gihan de Silva Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2014 Rajbir Rai Tim Challen Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2015 Jaspreet Singh Chatthe Craig Thorley Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2016 Hassan Alwi Enock Olinga Subaru Impreza STi N14 2017 Manvir Singh Baryan Drew Sturrock Škoda Fabia R5 2018 Manvir Singh Baryan Drew SturrockŠkoda Fabia R52019 Manvir Singh Baryan Drew SturrockŠkoda Fabia R52020Cancelled due to COVID2021Cancelled due to COVID 2022 Jas Mangat Joseph Kamya Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X
References
External links African Rally Championship FIA - African Rally Championship Uganda Motorsport