Ugandan rally driver Oscar Ntambi has won the 2026 African Rally Championship 2 (ARC2) title after completing a season that included his debut in the World Rally Championship and competition in four East African countries.
Driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, Ntambi finished the ARC2 championship with 69 points, seven ahead of Rwanda’s Christian Kanangire, who scored 62 points.
Ntambi’s title was secured at the final round, the Serengeti Rally in Tanzania, held from October 2 to 4, 2026.
His campaign began strongly in March when he competed in the Safari Rally Kenya, his first World Rally Championship event. Ntambi and co-driver Uthumaan Muhamadi won the ARC2 category despite mechanical problems during the four-day rally.
The crew overcame a broken driveshaft and suspension damage to complete the event, finishing 22nd overall and taking the ARC2 victory.
“Safari Rally is one of the toughest rallies in the world, and it pushes both the driver and the car to the limit. We had some mechanical difficulties, but the main goal was to control the car and finish well,” Ntambi said after the event.
The Safari Rally result gave Ntambi an early advantage in the ARC2 championship and provided his first experience of competing at World Rally Championship level.
His next outing, the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, ended in retirement, costing him valuable championship points.
Ntambi responded at the Mountain Gorilla Rally in Rwanda, where he finished second in ARC2 with Pius Luggya as his co-driver. The result kept him in contention for the continental title ahead of the final rounds.
He eventually secured the championship in Tanzania, completing a season in which he won his category in Kenya, finished second in Rwanda and recovered from his retirement in Uganda.
“This championship means a lot to me because it has taken a lot of work from the whole team. We had good rallies, and we also had a difficult one in Uganda, but we kept working and came back,” Ntambi said.
“Winning the ARC2 championship is something I am very proud of.”
Ntambi’s participation in the Safari Rally was supported by KCB Bank, which in March announced a Sh380 million sponsorship package for Ugandan rally drivers.
The package included support for Ntambi, Nasser Mutebi and Mike Mukula Jr., while the bank also partnered with the Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU) to support the National Rally Championship season.
Ntambi said the sponsorship was instrumental in enabling his participation in the Safari Rally.
“If there was no support from KCB Bank, I would never have made it to the Safari Rally. They put in a lot to keep the car running and were happy that we finished as winners,” he said.
The Safari Rally also gave Ntambi exposure to longer competitive stages, international competitors and different approaches to reconnaissance and rally preparation.
“There’s a lot to take in — long distances, reconnaissance techniques, and how international rallies differ from ours in Uganda. This debut has given me insights that I will use in future competitions,” he said.
FMU General Secretary Reynolds Kibira said Ntambi’s championship demonstrated the potential of Ugandan drivers competing at continental level.
“For FMU, this achievement is a strong demonstration of what Ugandan talent can accomplish when allowed to compete at the continental level,” Kibira said.
Ntambi’s 2026 season included events in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania, culminating in his first continental championship title in ARC2.
