Nasser out for fun in TZ

Defending African Rally Champions Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba head into the final round of the 2026 African Rally Championship (ARC) in Morogoro, Tanzania, this weekend with little pressure on their shoulders.

After a hard-fought championship triumph last year, Nasser says the Tanzanian finale is more about enjoying the drive and honouring their sponsors than chasing another title.

“We are just out to have fun and drive for our sponsor, Moil Tanzania,” Nasser said before flying to Tanzania on Monday, September 28.

Nasser and Katumba won last year’s African title by a single point over Kenya’s Samman Vohra, securing a crucial bonus point in the Power Stage. This time, however, Kenya’s Karan Patel arrives in Tanzania as the championship leader and is chasing another continental crown.

Patel leads the ARC standings on 118 points, 33 ahead of fellow Kenyan Aakif Virani. His campaign has been built around a maximum-point haul in the ARC category at the WRC Safari Rally, followed by strong performances at the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally and the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally.

While the main ARC title fight takes centre stage, Uganda will have strong interest in the ARC2 battle, where Oscar Ntambi and Suzan Muwonge are both targeting podium finishes.

**MUWONGE EYES PODIUM **

Debutant Ntambi currently leads the ARC2 standings on 69 points, seven ahead of Rwanda’s Christian Kanangire, while Muwonge sits on 21 points.

Both Ugandans impressed during the third round in Rwanda and will now look to finish their campaigns strongly in Tanzania. For Muwonge, the Morogoro event will be her first competitive outing in Tanzania, a country that carries mixed memories for Ugandan motorsport.

In 2011, Ponsiano Lwakataka retired in Tanzania while battling for the Uganda National Rally Championship. The title fight was eventually settled back home in Mukono, where Muwonge went on to win the championship. This time, Muwonge returns with a clear target.

“We are definitely targeting an ARC2 podium in Tanzania,” Musa Nsubuga, who will co-drive Muwonge in Morogoro, said.

The Tanzanian National Rally Championship will also provide its own battle, with Ahmed Huwel and Manveer Birdi locked in a tight fight for the national crown. Birdi, tied on 70 points with Huwel’s teammate Waleed Nahdi, holds a seven-point advantage over Huwel heading into the final round. With ARC points doubled, Huwel knows the margin is significant.

“Points in the ARC are doubled, so it matters a lot. We need to finish seven points ahead of Birdi,” explained Huwel’s co-driver Rahim Suleiman. RALLY FINALE The final ARC round begins on Friday, October 2, with the 2.5km Mkwawa Qualifying Stage.

Saturday brings three runs each through Ruaha (13.35km) and Serengeti (16.25km), followed by Mkwawa as the Super Special Stage. The day’s competitive distance will be 91.2km.

Sunday (October 4) features Kilimanjaro (22.36km), the longest stage of the rally, and Ngorongoro (9.5km), with both stages run twice. The final pass through Ngorongoro will serve as the Power Stage, bringing the 2026 African Rally Championship season to a close.

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