Twenty-one-year-old Kenyan rally driver Michuki Hinga celebrated his birthday month in unforgettable fashion, delivering a dream debut on the continental stage by winning the Two-Wheel Drive category and finishing second overall in the NRC category of the 2026 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally.
Driving a Toyota RunX alongside co-driver John Ngugi, Hinga produced a remarkable performance on his first-ever rally outing at the FIA African Rally Championship event held from 10-12 July in the challenging hills of Rwanda.
Competing against more experienced drivers in four-wheel-drive machinery and tackling demanding mountain terrain, the Nairobi-based driver showed impressive composure, consistency, and speed from the opening stages. By the end of Leg 2, Hinga had secured the NRC 2WD class victory while also claiming second place overall in the National Rally Championship category.
Hinga completed the rally in 02:33:32.7, finishing 20 minutes and 46.1 seconds behind overall winner Christian Kanangire of Rwanda, who drove a Subaru Impreza 4WD. He finished 4 minutes and 55 seconds ahead of Ugandan driver Faizal Kayira, who took third place overall.
His dominance in the 2WD category was even more impressive, with Hinga winning the class by 47 minutes and 5.9 seconds over Uganda’s Odeon Niwagaba in a Toyota Altezza. Ibrahim Lubega, also from Uganda, completed the 2WD podium in a Toyota Corolla.
“It’s unbelievable. This was my very first rally and to come away with a class win and P2 overall is a dream,” Hinga said after the finish. “The team gave me a great car, John did a perfect job with the notes, and we focused on finishing clean. Turning 21 this month and getting this result in Rwanda means everything.”
The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, a round of the FIA African Rally Championship, is renowned for its technical gravel stages, demanding climbs, and high-altitude conditions, making Hinga’s achievement even more remarkable for a debut driver.
The son of Kenyan rally driver Charles Hinga, Michuki Hinga Jnr has now made the perfect start to what he hopes will be a long and successful career behind the wheel.
RWANDA MOUNTAIN GORILLA RALLY 2026 – PROVISIONAL RESULTS (10-12 July 2026)
RMGR NRC Overall Top 3
Christian Kanangire (RWA) / Kevi Mujiji (RWA) – Subaru Impreza – 02:12:46.6
Michuki Hinga (KEN) / John Ngugi (KEN) – Toyota RunX – 02:33:32.7
Faizal Kayira (UGA) / Ivan Sserunkuma (UGA) – Subaru Impreza – 02:38:24.7
RMGR NRC 2WD Class Results
Michuki Hinga (KEN) / John Ngugi (KEN) – Toyota RunX – 02:33:32.7
Odeon Niwagaba (UGA) / Husse Mukuye (UGA) – Toyota Altezza – 03:20:38.6
Ibrahim Lubega (UGA) / Must Kanakulya (UGA) – Toyota Corolla – 04:29:00.1
