Kenyan driver Karan Patel, alongside co-driver Tauseef Khan, claimed victory at the 2026 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, while Rwanda’s Christian Kanangire emerged as the only Rwandan to finish the race and secured the ARC2 category title.
The final day of the 24th edition of the rally was held on Sunday, July 12, across the Nemba and Ruhuha sectors in Bugesera District.
The event attracted several dignitaries, including the Minister of State for Sports, Rwego Ngarambe, Bugesera District Mayor Richard Mutabazi, Rwanda National Olympic Committee Vice President Salama Umutoni, and Rwanda Automobile Club President Christian Gakwaya.
As part of the African Rally Championship (ARC) calendar, the competition featured 30 entries, with 12 cars competing on the final day across various championship categories.
Kanangire Christian and co-driver Kevin Mujiji, driving a Subaru Impreza, were the only Rwandan crew to complete the ARC2 category. They finished the rally in 2 hours, 37 minutes, and 39 seconds.
The Rwandan duo finished ahead of Uganda’s Oscar Ntambi and Pius Luggya by 19 minutes and 49 seconds, while Susan Muwonge and Musa Nsubuga placed third, 23 minutes and 22 seconds behind. Muwonge also finished as the highest-ranked female driver in the rally.
Rwandan crew Queen Kalimpinya and Olivier Ngabo were forced to retire after their car developed mechanical problems on both the opening and second days of the competition.
Overall victory went to Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan in their Škoda Fabia R5, completing the rally in 2 hours, 13 minutes, and 18 seconds. They finished seven minutes and 29 seconds ahead of Huwel Ahmed and Roheet Solanki, who competed in a Toyota Yaris GR.
The victory marks Patel’s fourth Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally title, having previously won the event in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
In the overall African Rally Championship standings for the event, Kanangire finished seventh after completing all 18 special stages.
The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally will return in 2027 for its 25th anniversary edition, marking a quarter-century since the competition was first introduced.