Ugandan rally driver Musa Ssegaabwe has unveiled a brand new Škoda Fabia N5 as he targets the national championship this season.
The Segamu 14 Racing driver finished second overall last year, narrowly missing out on the title to reigning champion Ronald Ssebuguzi. After two seasons in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, Ssegaabwe believes the switch was necessary to close the performance gap at the top.
“We have been rallying for two years and this is now our third season. For the first two years, we drove the Mitsubishi Evo 9 and it gave us exactly what we wanted. We were very competitive and last year we almost won the championship, but we lost it to our brother Ronald Ssebuguzi,” Ssegaabwe said.
He explained that the difference in pace became clear as the competition intensified, especially against the faster prototype cars locally referred to as “bukere”.
“Last year we competed against several faster cars, including what we call ‘bukere’. When you compare them to the Evo 9, there is a clear difference in performance. That is why we decided to bring in a Škoda Fabia RS5 built by RMC in Spain so that we can match the speed and power of the protos. The car will make its debut in Mbale later this month,” he added.
The new machine, built by RMC in Spain, represents a significant financial commitment. The total investment, including spare parts, is estimated at nearly Shs 700 million, with projected annual maintenance costs of about Shs 350 million.
Ssegaabwe stressed that the decision was driven by performance and competitiveness rather than status, as he looks to go one better this season.
Ssebuguzi has welcomed the development, praising his rival for raising the level of competition within Ugandan rallying ahead of what promises to be a tighter title race.
