Ronald Ssebuguzi and Anthony Mugambwa survived a mechanical driving shaft scare during the super special stage to win the 2025 National Rally Championship.
Ssebuguzi had to spend almost all night fixing the car. The joyful Ssebuguzi in the interview said that “we are happy to have won the championship but it was not easy.”
“We broke the driving shaft in the super special on Day One but good enough, we limped until the last section of the event.”
Ssebuguzi in Ford Fiesta Proto managed to finish 4th overall in Hoima and Kikube to collect the points they wanted to seal the title, which is also his 4th National Rally Championship crown. Perhaps a match in destiny; fourh for a fourth.
The veteran driver has now joined three other drivers with four titles. This stellar list includes Sam Ssali – who won them in consecutive years between 1989 to 1992.
Then Charles ‘Charlie’ Lubega who won three in a row from 2000 to 2002 before adding a 4th in 2004. Jas Mangat won 2012 and 2013, then two years later in 2013 before he got a fourth last year.
“We have worked hard to win the championship. We brought in the car in order to win a title and within just three years it has delivered the title and we are looking forward to more titles,’ said Ssebuguzi, whose triumphs are spread across 19 years; 2006, 2009, 2014, and now. He started racing in 2003.
Consistency has played a big role in Ssebuguzi’s championship run. He never won any event this season but he picked points across the various events he took part in.
‘Gulu Rally was the turning point for the team. We managed to finish 2nd while our rivals dropped out. That puts us back in the title race,’ Ssebuguzi added after drivers gave him a guard of honour ahead of the prize giving at Mika Eco Resort, Hoima.
Mubiru win Kabalega Rally
Duncan Mubiru and Joseph Kamya, in Ford Fiesta Proto, however, took the consolation of sealing the season with a win in Hoima.
Mubiru said he also had issues and did not push as hard as he wanted because he did not have drivers to push him.
“We drove at 30 percent because this event was not very competitive.
“Ssebuguzi wanted points but the rest of the drivers could not beat our pace. That is why we had to slow down,” Mubiru said.
Past NRC winners with 4 titles
Sam Ssali: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992
Charlie Lubega: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004
Jas Mangat: 2012, 2013, 2015, 2024
Ronald Ssebuguzi: 2006, 2009, 2014, 2025
Kabalega Rally Results
Duncan Mubiru- 1:20:49.40
Musa Ssegabwe- 1:21:36:40
Umar Daudi- 1:24:52.90
Ronald Ssebuguzi- 1:27:49.22
Samuel Bwete- 1:28:02.24