The Mountain Gorilla Rally 2025 was never meant to be just another tick in the calendar for Kenya’s celebrated motorsport duo, Tinashe and Caroline Gatimu. Instead, their journey through Rwanda’s enthralling and formidable landscapes became a showcase not only of competitive grit but also of the enduring human spirit, community, and unyielding love for rallying.
Mother and daughter breaking barriers
Arriving in Kigali, anticipation and excitement lingered in the air for Tinashe and Caroline. Kenya’s first-ever mother-daughter rally team was about to take on the legendary Mountain Gorilla Rally — an event steeped in African rallying tradition. Representing Kenya alongside the reigning ARC champion Karan Patel and former Kenya Motorsport Personality of the Year Nikhil Sachania, the Gatimus were on the verge of yet another historic milestone.
Tinashe, behind the wheel of a Subaru Impreza, was making her Rwandan rally debut. Their adventure began in the inviting expanse of Kigali, a city renowned for its spotless streets and heartwarming hospitality. Welcomed by Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC), the small Kenyan contingent felt immediately at home in the “Land of a Thousand Hills.”
The drama on Rwandan gravel
The rally’s Eastern Province district of Busegera provided the stage: a beguiling mix of fast, flowing stretches juxtaposed with deeply rutted, unpredictable sections. For competitors, this variability is what defines rallying, where skill meets trepidation at every turn.
And for the Gatimus, things were going well. Their times were promising, and midway through Saturday’s stages, the Kenya Airways-sponsored crew found themselves holding third in the fiercely contested National Category. There was a palpable sense that, once again, Tinashe and Caroline were demonstrating that they were a force to reckon with in African motorsport.
Mechanical heartbreak and a community’s helping hand
But rallying is as much a test of endurance as it is of speed. On one of the rally’s rougher segments, fate intervened: a fuel tank failure on their Impreza forced them to withdraw from the day’s competition. The disappointment was immediate and heavy. Yet here, the unique spirit of motorsport camaraderie shone through.
Team Simba 600B, a Rwandan crew, stepped in with extraordinary generosity, providing a replacement tank so that the Gatimus could rejoin the event under Super Rally rules on Sunday. For both Tinashe and her mother, this gesture wasn’t just helpful—it was the embodiment of rallying’s community ethos and a testament to the bonds formed around shared adversity.
| CASINO | BONUS | INFO | RATING | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
bonus
First Bonus: 200% Deposit Bonus
See 2 Bonuses
|
info
8048/JAZ2024-001 HunnyPlay is licensed under Curaçao (365/JAZ). Join now and win crypto instantly! |
|
||
|
bonus
New players get 40 free spins and a Ksh 200 freebet!
See 6 Bonuses
|
info
BK 0000665 PG 0000405 Good combination of online casino and betting platform |
|
||
|
bonus
Claim up to 31,400 KSH bonus on first deposits!
See 10 Bonuses
|
info
No. ALSI-112310012-F15 Unique selection of slots & games |
|
||
|
bonus
Refer a friend and earn 50 KSH instantly!
|
info
BK 0000672 PG 0000412 Mobile-friendly |
|
The final push and the lessons gained
Armed with new determination, the duo hit the stages again, only for fresh adversity to strike. This time, engine overheating in the third stage forced them to bow out for good. The pain of unfulfilled potential hung in the air, but in true champion fashion, their post-rally reflections were both measured and grateful.
Tinashe summed it up best: “Despite the challenges, the experience was rich with learning, growth, and unforgettable memories.” Indeed, the Gatimus have seen both sides of rallying, glorious finishes and cruel mechanical blows. What they took home from Rwanda was a deeper appreciation for both.
Historic ambitions and wider impact
This is not the first time Tinashe and Caroline Gatimu have made headlines. Previously, they made history by becoming the first mother-daughter duo to finish the notorious Safari Rally, widely regarded as the world’s toughest motor rally, under the banner of KCB Bank. Entering Rwanda, the dream was to become the first such crew to complete an international rally outside Kenya. Fate had other plans, but the attempt alone resonated deeply in the motorsport community.
In the context of their journey, it was never just about the finish line. It was about showing what is possible when resilience, mutual trust, and community converge, an inspiration not just for aspiring African drivers, but for families and women in sport everywhere.
Gratitude and looking ahead
At the core of their story is gratitude, for sponsors like Kenya Airways, for relentless pit crews from 7-70 Motorsports, for technical partners like Pro Motor Works and PN Tuned, and for the unwavering support teams such as Marvel Africa Technologies and Shift Auto Ambulance. Their thanks also extended to those who made their Rwandan adventure possible: host organizers, mechanics, and even legal advisors who carried them “through every bump in the road.”
“The Gorilla rally wasn’t just about competing, it was about community, resilience, and the love of the sport,” Tinashe reflected. The duo left Rwanda with “heads held high and hearts full of gratitude, already looking forward to the next chapter.”
The legacy of perseverance
The 2025 Mountain Gorilla Rally may not have delivered the result the Gatimus had aimed for, but their journey will remain etched in the memory of Kenyan and African rally fans. Their narrative is more than a sequence of racing statistics, it is a stirring tale of persistence, generosity, and shared passion.
Tinashe and Caroline Gatimu remind us that the true victories in sport are not always found in podiums and trophies, but in the community built behind the scenes, and in the resilience to pursue the next rally with even more determination. The Mountain Gorilla Rally 2025, for them, was not an endpoint but another opening chapter in their enduring story.
