The Land Rover Uganda Club will proudly be part of the 21st edition of the Pearl of Africa Uganda rally 2022 as a volunteer partner to provide vehicles for route opening and closing as well as the provision of First Intervention Vehicles (FIVs) which are meant to improve on the overall safety of the rally.

The rally will be held in designated sections of Lugazi, Mukono and Buikwe. This will therefore include transport sections that run through the crowded areas and the action happening in the closed areas with less . The competitive sections and routes have been designed and checked for spectator safety, something that the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA; International Automobile Federation) is keen on monitoring to make sure all the necessary safety standards have been met.

As Champions of Road Safety through their sister organisation Towards Zero East Africa that works hand in hand with the Government and other Stakeholders on ensuring Road Safety in the country, this will be an opportunity for the Club to spread its message of – Road Safety is everyone’s responsibility in addition to the overall goal of Zero Deaths on our roads.

The organisers of the 2022 Shell V-Power Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, which will take place May 6-8, have built spectator viewing stages for spectators’ safety.

The FIA Rally Guidelines require that a Spectator Safety Risk Assessment be done and the following identified.

• High-risk areas that should be designated;

• Areas that are particularly suitable as spectator viewing areas;

• Appropriate measures to control risks at all other areas of the route.

• Prohibited “no-go” areas

These areas need to be identified in your risk assessments and any actions shown as part of your safety plan.

They need to be carefully marshalled by appropriately experienced individuals.

Marshals’ briefings and training need to include reference to these locations along with the rationale behind the risk management approach you have taken.

They should also be made aware of how to manage any specific situations at their location.

No-one should be allowed in a prohibited area – member of the public, media or a marshal.

Having reviewed the complete stage, and identified the sections that require attention particularly from a spectator safety point of view, it is advised to grade these critical points on a scale of one to three, with one being general safety requirements, up to three being acute.

With those factors in mind, the Federation of Motor Sports Associations of Uganda (FMU) has been working tirelessly through its Safety Officials and partners to ensure very high safety standards for this edition of the Pearl of Africa rally.

To cover the full rally, three portions have been planned. On the first day, they’ll be repeated twice, with shorter versions of the same sections on the second day.

The rally will cover a total distance of 468 kilometres, with a competitive distance of slightly more than 271 kilometres and a liaison distance of 197 kilometres between the stages and the service park.