FEATURE ARTICLE : Ugandan rally driver Oscar Ntambi is living a dream he once only experienced through video games and roadside spectating. Born in Buziga, Kampala, Ntambi has steadily risen through the ranks of East African motorsport to earn a coveted slot at the iconic Safari Rally Kenya, his first-ever appearance at the legendary event and, by his own admission, a lifelong ambition coming true.
Ntambi’s journey into competitive rallying began with pure passion. After years of following the sport closely, that passion crystallized in 2017 when he started exploring the idea of owning a rally car. A year later, he acquired his first vehicle and, with the help of his brother, embarked on an ambitious project to transform it into a competition-ready machine. Training sessions in Garuga soon followed, laying the foundation for what would become a rapid and impressive ascent.
His competitive breakthrough came in 2021 when he joined the CRC Championship, winning the final three rallies of the season. A year later, Ntambi announced himself nationally by dominating the two-wheel-drive (2WD) category, clinching the 2022 National Rally Championship and the 2WD Sprint Championship in the same year. It was a defining moment that cemented his reputation as one of Uganda’s most exciting rally prospects.
The seasons that followed tested both his resilience and ambition. While 2023 was relatively quiet, 2024 marked a major step up with an upgrade to a Subaru N10, a year largely spent training and adapting to more powerful machinery. In 2025, Ntambi faced a challenging campaign marked by mechanical hiccups and a heavy roll that sidelined him for a while. True to his fighting spirit, he bounced back with another upgrade to a Mitsubishi Evo X, finishing the season on a high during the final sprint in Busiika and ending the year as second runner-up in the National Sprint Championship.
Now driving a Mitsubishi Evo X Ralliart and navigated by long-time teammate Muhamadi Uthumaan, whom he has worked with since 2018, Ntambi heads into the Safari Rally with clear-eyed realism. “This is my first attempt. I do not really know the roads or the surface, so my main target is to finish,” he says, fully aware of the rally’s unforgiving nature and global reputation.
Beyond the cockpit, Ntambi is a businessman, running a metal and aluminum fabrication company, and a devoted family man. Married with four children, three boys and a girl, he already sees the sport’s influence shaping the next generation. He often brings his children along to training sessions and rallies, and the boys, he notes with pride, are showing keen interest.
Ntambi has also enjoyed success on the regional stage, notably winning his category twice at the Pearl of Africa Rally, alongside multiple victories in local Ugandan events. He believes rallying holds a unique place in Uganda’s sporting culture, describing it as one of the few sports that truly excites and unites fans across the country. With Uganda
boasting one of the largest rally fan bases in East Africa, he expects strong support in Naivasha, with his entire team committed to turning out in force.
As he prepares to line up alongside world-class WRC competitors, Ntambi remains grounded yet grateful. He has acknowledged the role of his sponsors, particularly KCB Bank, for enabling him to compete on such a prestigious international stage. “This is one of the things I dreamt of doing,” he says. “We promise to do our best in the Safari Rally.”
