• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

Desh Kananura in motorsport nostalgia; says return shall lift spirits of Ugandans battered by Covid-19

Lawrence Kazooba by Lawrence Kazooba
5 years ago
in Motorsport
21 2
Desh Kananura

Desh Kananura

ShareTweetSendShare

Motorsport is one the few sports in Uganda comparable to the popularity of football. Its fan base, like for Uganda Cranes or Masaza cup tournament, comprise diehards who follow it whenever it goes.

What however makes motorsport stand out is its capacity to change the local economy of whatever place the sport takes place.

As Uganda recovers from the battering of Covid-19 against sports among other activities, veteran rally driver, Desh Kananura says one game that shall lift the spirits of Ugandans to regain their confidence is motorsport.

Desh, a Kampala businessman, and a notorious motorsport diehard, spoke to www.watchdoguganda.com on why he believes motorsport is a catalyst that can reawaken Ugandans who believe the year has been wasted due to the global pandemic.

Desh says he last attended a motorsport activity in January 2020 in Garuga, shortly before the lockdown, and speaks about the game with nostalgia.

“It has been a blackout,” he says when I asked him about prospects of going behind the wheels. He says he last went behind the wheels in 2017, but at least he has been attending motorsport events.

“The total silence of the engines bothers me,” he confessed at his Panamera office in Naguru.

“Motorsport is something Ugandans love. It is like a cult,” Desh, reveals, adding that when you see diehards following cars to Kabale, Rwanda, Mbale, everywhere, you realise there is something phenomenal about this sport.

Although motorsport is an expensive game, and many players need sponsorships to survive in the game, Kananura says, he believes the time has come for Corporate Uganda to realise that no sport shifts the mood of localities like the sound of car rallies. Motorsport changes localities. Life is never the same after it.

“This is something that gives mileage to sponsors,” he says, pointing to why aggressive sponsors like Shell (Vivo Energy) always book top drivers to market their brand and products.

Desh who introduced KFC to motor rallies, recalls the days when the fast food company was his sponsor, he discovered that many people fell in love with KFC because of its presence on the circuit.

“More so, when these companies support the sport, it has a trickling effect on many people in terms of employment, experiences, tourism, among others,” the 2015 Pearl of Africa motor rally champion says.

Desh narrates that in 2016\17, a rally was organized in Kabale. After the sport, testimonies flowed, saying, nothing like it had happened in Kabale in more than 30 years.

“No food, drinks, hotel, meats, chicken, snacks, were left in the town.” Desh recalls, small traders say after the rally. “Fans and rally teams left a lot of money in the town, which boosted the local market of the town.” This stimulation happens to every place the sport goes. Be it in Mukono, Busiika, Masaka or Mbale.

Desh says after covid-19 is done, he encourages the leadership of motorsport, headed by Dipu Ruparelia, to get on their feet and take this exciting sport across the country.

He also asks that the game goes digital because analogue motorsport discourages many drivers.

“We need the sport to move with a generation whose timings are in real time and less complaints come in with improved technology.”

Desh fell in love with cars at a tender age of nine. His neighbor in Kololo was Karim Hirji, a businessman who was also a motorsport champion in Uganda. George Bitature was his navigator. He admired the duo.

When he was 22 years, he tried joining the sport. However, it proved too expensive. Among the losses he has counted was when bought a car at $100,000 and burnt to ashes.

He however didn’t give up. He bought another, an N14 from Emma Kato, which he later sold to Dunstan Kikankane. In 2015, he imported another from Ireland, and won the 2015 Pearl of Africa.

He has cleared his garage of motorsport vehicles, but again found himself buying new ones.

Motorsport is that addictive, for drivers and navigators, but also mechanics, timers, and other people who participate in it.

Desh says, if motorsport is given a chance to flourish in Uganda, it is one thing that the government and businesses can use to promote domestic tourism, as well as programs that unite Ugandans, and create local investments.

Looking back to the Kabale rally, Desh says, people started visiting Kabale town more frequently after the motor rally in the town, which showcased the town’s beauty and facilities.

The businessman says in the post Covid-19 era, motorsport can be used to wake up the country whose people believe their year is lost, yet there is more ahead of us as a people.

“I call upon Ugandans to be positive in their outlook, let’s work hard to catch up with the lost time,” Desh said, in a rallying call.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
Share4Tweet3SendShare

Related Posts

FMU President Dipu Ruparelia with Ruparelia Group Chairman Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia
Entertainment

FMU Awards: Ruparelia Group recognized as main sponsor of motorsport in Uganda

19th December 2022 at 17:13
Rajiv Ruparelia
Motorsport

Rajiv Ruparelia commends Kyabazinga, sponsors after successful Kaliro Sugar Rally

15th November 2022 at 15:27
Football

How to bet in Kenya

20th September 2022 at 18:18
Next Post
online school

Study Material for Primary, O & A Level

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1131 shares
    Share 452 Tweet 283
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    53 shares
    Share 21 Tweet 13
  • Who is Bosco Muwonge, Uganda’s elusive real estate billionaire?

    39 shares
    Share 16 Tweet 10
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2290 shares
    Share 916 Tweet 573
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    50 shares
    Share 20 Tweet 13
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Museveni wants to secure and protect the telecom infrastructure

How Opposition Instability Could Pave the Way for Museveni’s Victory in Uganda’s 2026 Elections

13th July 2025 at 11:18
Mashable is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company For more queries and news contact us on this Email: info@mashablepartners.com

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0
Museveni wants to secure and protect the telecom infrastructure

How Opposition Instability Could Pave the Way for Museveni’s Victory in Uganda’s 2026 Elections

13th July 2025 at 11:18

President Museveni lauds Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo for upholding truth and transforming the Judiciary 

12th July 2025 at 23:33

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda