Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian rally driver Randeep Singh has etched his name into East African motorsport history after becoming the first Tanzanian to win the Uganda National Rally Championship (NRC) title following an impressive performance at the 2026 Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally.
The driver from the Asas Rally Team capped off a memorable weekend by finishing third overall in the African Rally Championship event after covering the demanding 201-kilometre competitive distance in two hours, seven minutes and 2.5 seconds aboard his Ford Fiesta Proto.
Randeep’s achievement marks a major milestone for Tanzanian motorsport, as no Tanzanian driver had previously secured the prestigious Uganda NRC crown. His consistency throughout the rally and ability to handle the challenging Ugandan terrain enabled him to secure both the NRC honour and a podium finish in one of the region’s biggest rally events.
Kenyan driver Samman Vohra, who had dominated Day One and entered the final stages as one of the favourites for victory, finished second overall in his Skoda Fabia Evo after arriving one minute and 37.3 seconds behind the winner. Uganda’s experienced driver Yasin Nasser settled for third place overall in the standings after competing in a Ford Fiesta.
The rally was won by Kenyan driver Karan Patel, who delivered a commanding display in his Skoda Fabia to finish with an overall time of 2:03:06.7.
Apart from Randeep, Tanzania was also represented by two other drivers, Manveer Birdi and Ahmed Huwel. However, the duo failed to complete the rally after suffering mechanical problems during different stages of the competition.
Manveer Birdi had entered the rally driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, while Ahmed Huwel was competing in a Subaru Impreza before both cars developed technical complications that forced them out of the event.
Speaking after the historic achievement, Randeep thanked his sponsors, the Asas Rally Team, for the massive support that enabled him to compete successfully in Uganda.
“I am very happy to make history for Tanzania by winning the Uganda NRC title. This is a proud moment for me, my team and the country,” said Randeep.
“The competition was very tough, but we stayed focused from the beginning until the final stage. I would like to thank Asas for the huge support they have given us throughout the season. Without them, this achievement would not have been possible.”
He also praised his technical crew and supporters for standing behind him throughout the demanding rally weekend.
“This victory belongs to the whole team. The mechanics, engineers and fans worked very hard and motivated us every step of the way,” he added.
Randeep’s success is expected to inspire more Tanzanian drivers to compete in international rally championships as the country continues to make progress in regional motorsport competitions.
