Showing posts with label ARC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ARC. Show all posts
Monday, 5 October 2026
Saturday, 3 October 2026
KARAN MAKES HISTORY — THIRD CONTINENTAL TITLE CLINCHED IN TANZANIA AFTER AAKIF'S WITHDRAWAL
Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan are the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) drivers' and navigators' champions respectively!
The 2022 Kenyan Champions and KCB Racing Team drivers sealed their third continental title at the ongoing ARC Serengeti Rally of Tanzania, after their only remaining title rival and compatriot Aakif Virani and Zahir Shah withdrew from the ARC season finale.
In a statement posted last night, Virani's Arrow Racing Team announced they had taken a strategic decision to consolidate second position in the overall standings and not contest the final round.
"It is with deep regret we announce our withdrawal from the ARC final round in Morogoro, Tanzania. After a hard-fought season, Arrow Racing Team (Aakif Virani and Zahir Shah) has taken the strategic decision to consolidate 2nd position in the overall African Rally Championship standings," the team said.
"Congratulations to Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan on becoming the 2026 African Rally Champions."
The withdrawal hands Patel and co-driver Tauseef an unassailable lead heading into the final two days of competition on Saturday and Sunday. The championship was almost effectively over as Patel only needed a finish in Tanzania — but the news now confirms him as champion before Day 1 starts tomorrow.
It is a historic third ARC title for Patel, who now become only the fourth driver in the 45-year history of the FIA African Rally Championship to win three or more titles.
Patel joins an elite list led by Zambian legend Satwant Singh (8 titles), Ivory Coast's Alain Ambrosino (3 titles) and fellow Kenyan Manvir Baryan (3 titles).
--KARAN WINS MKWAWA QUALIFYING STAGE--
Meanwhile, Patel with partner Tauseef had earlier underlined their intent by winning today's 2.40 KM SS00 Mkwawa Qualifying Stage in Morogoro.
The Kenyan crew clocked 01:58.1 in a Skoda Fabia to beat Tanzania Champion Ahmed Huwel (Toyota Yaris GR Rally2) by 0.6 seconds in 01:58.7, with Manveer Birdi third in 01:59.8.
Under ARC rules, the qualifying winner chooses his starting position. Patel opted to start fifth on the road at 09:12 — directly behind Huwel in fourth.
Virani is assured of second position in the 2026 ARC regardless of the final results this weekend, and most importantly, the ARC Masters title (for competitors over 50 years) he sealed at the penultimate event in Rwanda.
The start list for Day 1 on Satuday will be led by Uganda's Oscar Ntambi (09:00), followed by 2025 champion Yasin Nasser (09:03) and Manveer Birdi (09:06). Ntambi claimed the ARC2 title without turning a wheel after his Rwandese opponent Christian Kanangire failed to enter the season-ender in Morogoro.
The Serengeti Rally, running from 2-4 October, is the ARC season closer. The rally proper starts tomorrow in the Morogoro region, with crews facing a stern test of endurance before Sunday's finale.
SS00 Mkwawa Qualifying - Top 3 (FRIDAY):
Karan Patel / Tauseef Khan (KEN - Skoda Fabia) 01:58.1
Ahmed Huwel / Roheet Solanki (TZA - Toyota Yaris GR) 01:58.7 +0.6
Manveer Birdi / Zubayr Piredina (TZA - Skoda Fabia Evo) 01:59.8 +1.7
PAST ARC CHAMPIONS
1981 Kenya Shekhar Mehta Nissan
1982 West Germany Walter Röhrl Opel
1983 Ivory Coast Alain Ambrosino Peugeot
1984 Kenya David Horsey Peugeot
1985 Rwanda Luc Requile Opel/Mitsubishi
1986 Ivory Coast Alain Ambrosino Nissan
1987 Ivory Coast Alain Ambrosino Nissan
1988 Zambia Satwant Singh Toyota
1989 Zambia Satwant Singh Volkswagen
1990 Burundi Walter Costa Peugeot
1991 Zambia Satwant Singh Toyota
1992 Italy Aldo Riva Audi
1993 Zambia Satwant Singh Toyota
1994 Zimbabwe Abe Smit Audi
1995 Namibia Fritz Flachberger Ford
1996 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
1997 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
1998 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
1999 Uganda Charles Muhangi Subaru
2000 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
2001 South Africa Schalk Burger Subaru
2002 South Africa John Gemmel Subaru
2003 Spain Fernando Rueda Mitsubishi
2004 Zambia Muna Singh Subaru
2005 Zambia Muna Singh Subaru
2006 Belgium Patrick Emontspool Subaru
2007 Zimbabwe Conrad Rautenbach Subaru
2008 Japan Hideaki Miyoshi Mitsubishi
2009 Zimbabwe James Whyte Subaru
2010 Zimbabwe James Whyte Subaru
2011 Zimbabwe Conrad Rautenbach Subaru
2012 Zambia Mohamed Essa Subaru
2013 Zambia Jassy Singh Subaru
2014 Ivory Coast Gary Chaynes Mitsubishi
2015 Kenya Jaspreet Singh Chatthe Mitsubishi
2016 Kenya Don Smith Subaru
2017 Kenya Manvir Baryan Škoda
2018 Kenya Manvir Baryan Škoda
2019 Kenya Manvir Baryan Škoda
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Kenya Carl "Flash" Tundo Volkswagen Polo
2022 Zambia Leeroy Gomes Ford
2023 Kenya Karan Patel Ford
2024 Kenya Karan Patel Škoda
2025 Tanzania Yasin Nasser Ford
2026 Kenya Karan Patel Škoda
Sunday, 19 July 2026
Monday, 13 July 2026
HUWEL CLAIMS RWANDA'S MOUNTAIN GORILLA RALLY TROPHY 🏆
KIGALI: TANZANIA’S Ahmed Huwel overcame last section’s puncher to second overall in the Mountain Gorilla Rally of Rwanda this afternoon.
The third round of this year’s African Rally Championship (ARC), the Mountain Gorilla Rally was officially flagged off on July 10 before its climax today, July 12, 2026 in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali.
Tanzania could have its both entries at the top- three spot if Manvir Birdi, who retired in the last stages, maintained his lead til the podium finish.
Still,it was a sad ending for Birdi, another Tanzanian entry in this year’s continental level rally. Birdi who was navigated by Manmeet Birdi in their Skoda Fabia suffered a gearbox failure.
Before his last stages retirement, Birdi was leading the SS15 stage with Huwel following him closely in his Toyota GR Yaris.
Huwel, who was competing in the RC 2 Rally 2 category, clocked 2 hours, 20 minutes and 48.5 seconds, 7.30 minutes behind the winner, Karan Patel from Kenya.
Huwel represented the Mkwawa Rally while Manvir paraded the Asas Team banner.
Third overall was a Kenyan team of Aakif ViranI and Zahir Shah who spent 2 hours, 25 minutes and 52 seconds in their Skoda Fabia R5.
Navin Puligila from India finished fourth overall in Ford Fiesta after spending 2:27:85, finishing ahead of the fifth-placed Jasmeet Chana of Kenya who was timed at 2: 28:47.
Eleven cars managed to finish the tough engine war that raged on dusty roads of Rwanda.
Kenya’s Nikhil Sachania claimed the sixth position in Ford Fiesta while Christian Kanangire from Burundi took the seventh position ahead of the 8th –placed Oscar Ntambi from Uganda.
- MIGUEL SULEYMAN13
KENYA WINS RWANDA MOUNTAIN GORILLA RALLY IN BUGESERA, RWANDA
Spectators and supporters from Kenya celebrate the awards won by Kenyan pilots during the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally in Bugesera, Rwanda, July 12, 2026. The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally is one of four official rounds of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
A Kenyan flag is displayed by the winners of 1st and 3rd place of the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally in Bugesera, Rwanda, July 12, 2026. The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally is one of four official rounds of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
Huwel Ahmed and his co-driver Solanki Roheet from Tanzania race during the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally in Bugesera, Rwanda, July 12, 2026. The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally is one of four official rounds of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
Kenya's Karan Patel stands and poses for a picture near his Skoda Fabia R5 that gave him the victory as the African Rally Champion during the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally in Bugesera, Rwanda, July 12, 2026. The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally is one of four official rounds of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
Huwel Ahmed (2nd L) and his co-driver Solanki Roheet both from Tanzania pose after receiving their 2nd place winner award from The President of Rwanda Automobile Club Christian Gakwaya (1st R) and the mayor of Bugesera district Richard Mutabazi (1st L) at the end of the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally in Bugesera, Rwanda, July 12, 2026. The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally is one of four official rounds of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
Karan Patel and his co-driver Tauseef Khan from Kenya race during the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally in Bugesera, Rwanda, July 12, 2026. The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally is one of four official rounds of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
Virani Aakif and his co-driver Shah Zahir from Kenya race during the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally in Bugesera, Rwanda, July 12, 2026. The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally is one of four official rounds of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua)
- Xinhua
Saturday, 11 July 2026
Sunday, 28 June 2026
Friday, 22 August 2025
MOTSEPE COMPANY APPEALS TO SA COURTS OVER R3.4BN ($195M) CLAIM IN TANZANIA
It is a ‘desperate appeal’ to bail them out of a pickle in Tanzania, where it is being sued for breaching a non-compete agreement, says Pula Group
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| Patrice Motsepe, founder of African Rainbow Capital (ARC) Investments. Image: Jason Alden/Bloomberg |
Patrice Motsepe’s African Rainbow Capital (ARC) has launched another front in the South African courts over a R3.4 billion ($195 million) claim against it in Tanzania for an alleged breach of a non-compete agreement with Pula Group.
The damages claim stems from an alleged breach of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that gave Motsepe’s companies access to Pula’s confidential information, which was then used to invest in a rival graphite project in the Ruangwa region of Tanzania. The Motsepe companies deny the claims.
Motsepe, ARC, African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), and ARCH Sustainable Resources were all cited in 2023 as respondents in the case brought in Tanzania by Pula Group and its 50% subsidiary Pula Graphite.
ARC says the South African courts are the appropriate venue to hear its case and have jurisdiction over the matter, which is already slated to proceed to trial this year in Dar es Salaam. Pula chairman and former US ambassador to Tanzania, Charles Stith, says this is a desperate attempt by ARC to avoid culpability.
Only ARC mounted a defence in the Dar es Salaam court. In July 2024, the Tanzania High Court ruled that Motsepe, ARM, and ARCH no longer had standing in the main case due to failure to appear at an earlier hearing, effectively placing them in default.
The agreement was signed between Pula and ARM only. ARM, ARCH and Motsepe say they did not defend the matter in Tanzania as they had not been properly served.
ARC approaches the SA courts
With a pre-trial conference due to commence on 22 August in Tanzania, ARC approached the Joburg High Court for an ex parte order (where only one side argues) allowing it to serve papers on Pula by way of edictal citation – a method of serving legal documents when a defendant’s whereabouts is unknown or they cannot easily be reached. Pula has no offices in SA.
Pula has a month to respond to the order, with ARC arguing that it is not affected by the confidential agreement signed between ARM and Pula.
"Due to the fact that the NDA, which is central to Pula’s case, is governed by South African law and the majority of the defendants are based in South Africa, ARC is of the view that the South African courts are best-placed to consider the matter and have jurisdiction,” says Garry Ramaru, head of investor relations at ARC.
Pula president Mary Stith sees it differently: “ARC’s appeal to the South African courts appears to be a strategic attempt to sidestep accountability. What’s troubling is the inconsistency in their legal arguments. In Tanzania, they assert that the parties named in the suit are unrelated. Yet in South Africa, they claim that a potential judgment against Motsepe, ARM, and ARCH would impact ARC directly.
“This contradiction raises serious questions about the credibility of their position. Legal integrity demands consistency, and ARC’s approach undermines that principle.”
Basis of the claim
In its court papers, Pula alleges that ARM breached the 2019 non-disclosure and non-compete agreement by investing in Evolution Energy Minerals, a rival graphite project near Pula’s Ruangwa site in Tanzania, one of the richest graphite sites in the world.
ARM was previously in discussions with Pula over the possibility of investing in its graphite project but later decided against it, opting instead to invest in Evolution Energy Minerals, which is developing the nearby Chilalo Graphite Project in southern Tanzania. In the course of these discussions, ARM is alleged to have gained access to Pula’s confidential information, which resulted in severe financial loss.
ARC, advised by Webber Wentzel, argues that the claims against Motsepe and his companies are fatally flawed based on privity of contract – where parties to a contract can sue each other, but cannot be sued by third parties. ARC also maintains that it never breached the agreement, nor has Pula presented any evidence that ARM breached the NDA.
Ramaru says ARC has filed an application to stay the default judgment proceedings in Tanzania pending the trial against it, since it involves consideration of the same facts.
"The application is pending before the court. ARCH has also filed an application to, inter alia, have the default judgment application expunged, as that application is founded on incorrect statements relating to Pula’s purported ownership of the exploration right. ARM has also filed an application to have the incorrect information regarding ownership of the prospecting right expunged from Pula’s default judgment application. These matters have not yet been argued before court.”
Approaching the SA courts for relief is part of a troubling pattern, says Charles Stith.
"First, there was the breach of the non-compete agreement. Then came the decision to go private – without notification to the Tanzanian Court, us,or our legal representatives – despite its implications for the dispute. Now, ARC seeks refuge in South African courts to avoid facing the consequences of its own actions. We are grateful to South Africa’s free press for bringing this to light. Without it, this attempt to quietly shift the legal playing field might have gone unnoticed.”
The argument by ARC that the Tanzanian court lack jurisdiction is legally tenuous and contradicts its own logic, adds Stith.
“If they believe the matter belongs elsewhere, then South African courts should not be drawn into it either. This is a legal quagmire of their own making, and now they’re trying to entangle South Africa in it.”
Who owns the exploration right?
ARC says it has applied to amend its defence after learning that the prospecting right for which Pula claims damages was surrendered and ceased to exist prior to it launching legal proceedings. It argues that Pula Carbon, who has held the exploration right since August 2023, is neither a party to the NDA, nor to the litigation.
Charles Stith challenges the claim that Pula Graphite no longer owned the exploration right of the project by August 2023. “The only dates that matter are the dates the agreement was in force and the date the breach occurred,” he says.
“This trial is important for our company because we’re defending our right against unfair competition and Motsepe’s companies’ violation of a duly signed non-compete agreement. That this suit is going to be finally heard by the Tanzanian Court, is not only important for us, it is also important for Tanzanians.
“This trial will underscore that when Tanzanian companies engage outside interests, their rights and interests have to be respected.”
- Ciaran Ryan
Sunday, 6 October 2019
Thursday, 3 October 2019
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Wednesday, 22 May 2019
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Tuesday, 12 September 2017
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