Before his sudden death in December 2018, rally ace Charles Muhangi had announced that he would make a comeback to the sport from which he had retired for almost a decade.
At the launch of last year’s National Rally Championship season opener – the Mbarara Rally, Muhangi is quoted as saying; “I still have what it takes to get back to competitive rallying. I want to, as well, report that next year I will be right back.”
Most importantly, Muhangi wanted to see that his beloved sport returns to his home district of Bushenyi.
He did not live long enough to realize any of these dreams, succumbing to natural causes aged 65 last December.
But sportsmen, especially those as accomplished as Muhangi are never forgotten.
The motorsport fraternity, and especially the Mbarara Motor Club, to which he was a co-founder has decided to run the 2019 National Rally Championship season opener – the Mbarara Rally – in his memory.
The rally, which has previously been held in western district of Mbarara has now been expanded to include Ishaka and Bushenyi.
“He (Muhangi) had promised to bring back rally to the district of Bushenyi,” said a rally and Muhangi’s fan who hails from Bushenyi.
The rally slated for February 8-10 and will cover a total competitive distance of 145.93 kilometress over nine stages. One of the stages will end at Muhangi’s ancestral home where competitors will be allowed time to pay respect to the fallen legend.
“The Ishaka-Bumbaire stage will end exactly at the ancestral home of the late Muhangi. All competing crews will be awarded time to stop and honour the legend at his resting place before they proceed,” event manager Said Kakeeto said during the launch of the Mbarara Rally on Monday.
Muhangi won the National Rally Championship in 1998 before going on to become the first and only Ugandan to win the African Rally Championship in 1999.
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