Pearl of Africa Rally, one of Uganda’s major motorsports events, will not be held on the planned date of August 20-22, 2021, organizers confirmed on Wednesday.
It is unknown whether an alternative date later in 2021 is feasible, but if the country’s Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, then the event will definitely be held in 2022.
Until recently it was felt that the event could have been run safely and to a high standard by adopting measures that minimized crowd sizes and avoided public gatherings.
Calling off the event, Federation of Motorsports Clubs of Uganda (FMU) stated that the countrywide lockdown coupled with travel restrictions had made the preparations for the event disrupted.
“In the event that the lockdown is lifted, time left thereafter will not be sufficient to organize the event to the standards deserving of the ‘Pearl of Africa Rally,” organisers said in the postponement statement.
The pronouncement considered the effect of the coronavirus disease on global economies, cross border travel and mass social engagements among other health-necessitated restrictions.
In 2019, World Motor Sport Council placed Pearl of Africa Rally on a yellow card due to safety concerns and proposed wanted the event overhauled.
The decision came after rally driver Jas Mangat knocked dead a boda boda cyclist during that year’s Mbarara Rally.
Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, Equator Rally of Kenya, Rally South Africa, Mountain Gorilla Rally of Rwanda, and Rallye Bandama of Ivory Coast remains some of the most prestigious events in the Africa Rally Championship.
Courtesy Photo
