Rallying: Haruna Katazza steals the show as Mubiru conquers Gulu again

Haruna Katazza and co-driver David Mwesigwa delivered one of the standout performances of the Rajiv Ruparelia Memorial Rally, combining spectacular jumps with a Power Stage victory to secure a third-place finish in Gulu.

Driving their locally built Subaru Impreza N8, nicknamed Magege, the duo emerged as the crew of the weekend after consistently challenging the established frontrunners before delivering a memorable finish to Round Six of the KCB National Rally Championship.

Katazza sealed his impressive performance by clocking six minutes, 00.3 seconds to post the fastest time on SS10, the Yaobai Cement 3 Power Stage. His late surge capped a consistent drive in which he remained among the five fastest crews across the stages, despite trailing the leading contenders early in the rally.

The Power Stage victory underlined the pace of the locally built Magege and secured Katazza and Mwesigwa a third-place overall finish. His performance was as much about spectacle as speed.

On the demanding 18.05km Wobbly Stage, Katazza made headlines with his leap at the Ssegamu 14 Jump before taking the fight to the leading crews in the Power Stage.

“For every rally I drive, I come with a mission. Today I have broken the record for being the highest jumper at the Ssegamu 14 Jump in the 18.05km Wobbly Stage, then I went ahead and beat the big boys in the Power Stage,” bragged Katazza.

While Katazza provided the late drama, former National Rally champion Duncan ‘Kikankane’ Mubiru completed a successful return to competition by winning the rally for the second consecutive year.

Mubiru, the 2020/21 NRC champion, partnered Hamza Lwanga in a Ford Fiesta Proto to secure victory after returning from a short sabbatical.

The Wandegeya-based driver had taken time away from competition after injuring his right forefinger during a garage operation, but showed little sign of rust as he powered his way to the top of the standings.

His victory was far from straightforward. Mubiru ended Day One just seven seconds behind championship leader Hassan Alwi before launching his comeback on Saturday, October 10. He reclaimed the lead on the opening 12.94km Yaobai Cement stage before the first service, setting up an absorbing contest with veteran Moses Lumala.

Driving a Ford Proto, Lumala responded by winning the 15.01km No Blake’s stage, setting up a cat-and-mouse battle in which the two drivers continued exchanging stage victories.

The duel remained tight through Competitive Stage 10, but Mubiru held his nerve to secure the overall win, with Lumala settling for second place. For Mubiru, the triumph marked a successful return and another memorable appearance in Gulu.

“I missed my fans a lot, so I needed to find a way of entertaining them, and Gulu was the best option,” a beaming Kikankane said.

His second successive victory at the Rajiv Ruparelia Memorial Rally reinforced his reputation as one of the championship’s leading competitors, even as Katazza’s late charge added another compelling storyline to the weekend.

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