BY FRANK KAHEESI & HENRY MBAZIIRA
A triumphant smile spread across Yasin Nasser’s face as he crossed the Hell’s Gate power stage finish line on Sunday afternoon, marking a historic moment in his rallying career.
Alongside co-driver Ali Katumba, Nasser successfully completed the WRC Safari Rally, a feat that had eluded them in their previous three attempts.
The journey to this milestone began with meticulous preparations back in Uganda, where their trusty Ford Fiesta MKII R5, nicknamed “NEMO,” was painstakingly rebuilt by M-sport UK after a devastating crash in the 2024 Safari Rally.
“It’s a very good, very nice feeling finishing the world’s toughest rally,” an elated Ali Katumba exclaimed.
We’ve attempted it four times, and this is the first time we’re finishing.”
Yasin Nasser echoed his co-driver’s sentiments, adding, “As Ali has said, it’s a very proud moment for us and for the entire team. I know our country will be proud of us as well.”
The duo faced numerous challenges throughout the rally, including a broken right front arm in the Camp Moran1 stage on Friday morning.
However, their mechanical team worked tirelessly to repair “NEMO” within the allotted service time, allowing them to rejoin the competition on Saturday under super rally rules.
With a cautious approach, Nasser and Katumba skillfully navigated the treacherous Safari rally stages, posting impressive times under the ARC classification and overall.
Their perseverance paid off, as they eventually finished the rally in 18th place overall and third amongst the African Rally Championship contenders.
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans secured back-to-back World Rally Championship wins, claiming victory at the 2025 Safari Rally Kenya.
The event was marred by Takamoto Katsuta’s crash on the final stage, while reigning world champion Thierry Neuville finished third, securing Hyundai’s first-ever double podium in Africa.
As the rallying world looks to the next challenge, Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba can bask in the glory of their hard-won achievement, their names etched in the history books as conquerors of the WRC Safari Rally.
