DAR ES SALAAM: IRINGA’S Ahmed Huwel ‘Mkwawa’ will lead a team of four Tanzanian wheelers in the conquest of the Mountain Gorilla Rally of Rwanda early next month.
Huwel, who recently won the Tanzania’s National Rally Championship (NRC) opening round in Iringa, will be making a maiden entry to the Mountain Gorilla Rally in Rwanda.
Huwel will travel together with his navigator Rahim Suleimna alongside veteran drivers; Samir Shanto and Masam Fazal.
Huwel’s ultimate goal in his Rwandan mission is to disrupt Kenya’s 1-2 run for the ARC diadem, challenging Karan Patel and Samman Vohra upfront.
Leading up to the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, Kenyan driver Karan Patel and his co-driver Tauseef Khan hold the top spot in the overall FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) standings, amassing an early 83 points following their strong performance at the season-opening Safari Rally Kenya.
The top ARC leaders heading into the third round of the 2026 season are:1. Karan Patel (KEN) & Tauseef Khan – 83 points2. Drew Sturrock (GBR) – 66 points3. Zahir Shah (KEN) – 60 points4. Ravinder Chana (KEN) – 50 points5. Uthumaan Muhamadi (UGA) – 39 pointsNotable Category Leaders:ARC2: Oscar Ntambi (UGA) leads with 45 points.ARC3: Nikhil Sachania (KEN) and co-driver Deep Patel (KEN) lead with 75 points.
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The 2026 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally is scheduled to take place from July 10 to July 12, 2026.
This prestigious gravel-surface event is the third leg of the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) and also counts towards the Rwanda National Rally Championship.
It is organized by the Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC), the rally draws top motorsport talent from across the continent. The event takes place on highly technical, winding dirt and gravel roads, offering a thrilling experience for motorsport fans.
The ARC comes to Rwanda after Pearl of Africa Rally held in Uganda in May this year,
Mkwawa Rally of Tanzania, to be staged in Morogoro in September, is the final round of the continental rally season.