On February 19, 2026, the Rwandan government signalled its seriousness about this year’s Safari Rally. The Minister of State for Sports, Rwego Ngarambe, officially flagged off the four crews, emphasizing that this isn’t just a race it’s part of a 5-year strategic plan (2025–2029) to turn Rwanda into a global motorsport hub.
For the first time in history, Rwanda is fielding four distinct crews in the same WRC Safari event. Here is the breakdown:
Giancarlo Davite & Fabrice Yoto: The “Grandmaster.” Davite is a legend in the African Rally Championship (ARC). He’s ditching his usual Ford Fiesta for a Subaru Impreza WRX STi to better handle the deep “fesh-fesh” sand of the Naivasha stages.
Queen Kalimpinya & Olivier Ngabo: The “Trailblazer.” The reigning Rwandan national champion is making her massive WRC debut. She was recently unveiled as part of a high-profile sponsorship deal with KenGen, which will boost her team’s technical support on the ground.
Jean Claude Gakwaya & Jean Claude Mugabo: The “Consistent King.” After years of dominating the local scene in Rwanda, Gakwaya is finally making his WRC debut in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X.
Christian Kanangire & Kevin Shyaka: The “Speedster.” Driving a Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Kanangire has been the most vocal about his physical training, noting that the altitude and heat of Naivasha are his biggest targets.
Rwanda’s four drivers at a glance:
- Giancarlo Davite, Fabrice Yoto (Navigator ) | Subaru Impreza WRX STi The “Grandmaster” of the team.
- Queen Kalimpinya, Olivier Ngabo (Navigator) | Subaru Impreza WRX STi Rwanda’s first female rally star.
- Jean Claude Gakwaya, Jean Claude Mugabo (Navigator ) | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X National hero making his WRC debut.
- Christian Kanangire, Kevin Shyaka (Navigator) | Subaru Impreza WRX STI | NAT NR4 / ARC2
