Oscar Ntambi’s 2026 rally season started with a major test in Kenya and ended with him being crowned Africa Rally Championship (ARC) 2 champion.
Driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, Ntambi finished the ARC2 championship with 69 points, seven ahead of Rwanda’s Christian Kanangire on 62. His title was built around strong results in Kenya and Rwanda, but his season was about more than the final points tally. It was a year that tested his speed, consistency and ability to recover from setbacks.
His season got off to the best possible start in March when he travelled to Kenya for the WRC Safari Rally Kenya, one of the toughest events on the World Rally Championship calendar.
It was Ntambi’s first World Rally Championship appearance, and he made an immediate impression by winning the ARC2 category. Partnered by co-driver Uthumaan Muhamadi, Ntambi completed the gruelling four-day event despite mechanical challenges, including a broken driveshaft and suspension damage. He eventually finished 22nd overall while taking the ARC2 victory.
For Ntambi, simply finishing the Safari was an achievement. Winning his category made the result even more significant.
“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 result gave Ntambi an early advantage in the ARC2 title chase. It was also a particularly important achievement because his participation in Kenya was made possible through KCB Bank’s sponsorship.
KCB Bank had backed Ntambi as one of the East African drivers it supported for the 2026 Safari Rally, continuing its involvement in motorsport and its wider investment in sporting talent.
The bank’s support was not limited to Ntambi. KCB Bank committed significant resources to the Safari Rally and supported five East African drivers, while in Uganda it continued to back motorsport through its partnership with the Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU).
The next challenge came at the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally. Racing on home soil presented Ntambi with an opportunity to strengthen his position in the championship, but instead the event ended in retirement. It was a setback for a driver who had started the season with such a strong result in Kenya.
Rather than allowing the result to derail his title bid, Ntambi regrouped and returned to the championship fight. He responded at the Mountain Gorilla Rally in Rwanda, where he finished second in ARC2 with Pius Luggya as his co-driver.
The result was important in the context of the championship. After losing points in Uganda, Ntambi was back on the podium and still in contention for the title. His victory in Kenya and second-place finish in Rwanda would ultimately prove decisive in securing the championship.
The final chapter of Ntambi’s ARC2 season took him to Tanzania for the Serengeti Rally, held from 2nd – 4th October 2026, where he won the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship 2 (ARC2) title in the final round. All this progression is what makes his 2026 season significant.
Ntambi’s success has also highlighted the role of private-sector investment in Ugandan motorsport.
In March, KCB Bank announced a Sh380 million sponsorship for Ugandan rally drivers, including Ntambi, Nasser Mutebi and Mike Mukula Jr. The bank also entered a partnership with FMU to sponsor the entire National Rally Championship season.
For Ntambi, that backing opened opportunities beyond the domestic championship, most notably his WRC debut at the Safari Rally Kenya.
“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,” Ntambi said after his Safari victory.
The experience also gave him a taste of international rallying.
The Safari exposed him to longer competitive stages, international competition and the demands of a World Rally Championship event.
“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 achievement reflected the progress Ugandan drivers are making on the continental scene.
“For FMU, this achievement is a strong demonstration of what Ugandan talent can accomplish when allowed to compete at the continental level,” Kibira said.
For Ntambi, the ARC2 title represents the biggest achievement of his career on the continental stage.
“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. Winning the ARC2 championship is something I am very proud of,” he said.
His 2026 season therefore goes beyond the championship points.
He won ARC2, made his WRC debut at the Safari Rally Kenya, won his category on the world championship stage, and completed the ARC season with the Serengeti Rally in Tanzania.
More importantly, he showed that a difficult rally does not necessarily define a season. After retiring in Uganda, he came back in Rwanda, stayed in the title fight, and eventually secured the ARC2 crown.
With KCB Bank’s continued backing and the experience gained across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania, Ntambi now has a stronger platform from which to build his next chapter in international rallying.
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