BY SUKHDEV CHHATBAR
AT least 20 cars are expected to roar off tomorrow, Sunday, November 15, for the Guru Nanak-Assas Rally in Makuyuni, on the outskirts of Arusha.
The first car will be flagged off at 8 am, with the rally expected to finish at around 4 pm. The event forms the fifth round of the Tanzanian National Rally Championship (TNRC).
Scrutineering of competing vehicles is scheduled for this morning, Saturday, at Manjis Petrol Station in Njiro ahead of tomorrow’s gruelling 256-kilometre rally.
Arusha Motor Sports Club (AMSC) Information Officer, Janet Lyatuu, told The Arusha News that organisers expect competitors from Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and Uganda.
The provisional entry list names four Kenyan crews, two from Zambia and one from Uganda, alongside 13 Tanzanian drivers.
Arusha’s Gurpal Singh Sandhu, navigated by Zambia’s Dave Sihoka, will be among the top contenders in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Sandhu told The Arusha News last week that they had fixed their vehicle and were looking forward to a good rally.
The duo finished third last year behind winners Samman Vohra and Drew Sturrock of Kenya, and the second-placed crew of Jasmeet Chana and Ravi Chana.
Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana are back tomorrow in a Ford Fiesta MK1 R5. Kenyan Ian Duncan will team up with Tej Sehmi in a Nissan Patrol. Harpreet Bhogal and Rajay Sehmi complete the Kenyan contingent.
Zambia will be represented by Muna Singh Jr and Kumaren Naidu, both driving Subaru Impreza, Singh will have Tanzanian navigator Manmeet Birdi alongside him while Naidu will partner Hardish Naidu.
Uganda’s Duncan Mubiru is entered in a Ford Fiesta with compatriot Hamza Lwanga as his co-driver.
Among the Tanzanian entries is Manveer Birdi, who will drive a Skoda Fabia R5 with Zubayr Piredina navigating. Other local drivers include Marey Al Kithir, Tufail Amin, Harinder Deere and Walid Nahdi.
Also listed are Salum Balhabou, Charles Bicco, Mussa Mswaki, Binesh Haria, Vishal Patel, Hamid Mbatta, Kartic Valambia and Issack Taylor.
Members of the public have been urged to exercise extra caution along the rally routes in Makuyuni and keep a safe distance from speeding cars.
