KENYA Commercial Bank (KCB) has renewed a $50,000 (about Frw29.5 million) sponsorship package for this year’s Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally scheduled for September 30-October 2.

KCB Managing Director Maurice K. Toroitich told Times Sport yesterday after signing a sponsorship contract worth $50,000 with Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC) in Kigali that they are pleased to be in partnership with the local motorsport body for third year running.

"We are very pleased to be in partnership with Rwanda Automobile Club again. We have benefited a lot in taking our brand to the people.

"We hope to continue this partnership so as to ensure that motorsports grows more and more in Rwanda,” stated Toroitich.

He noted that KCB, on top of the $50,000 as a direct contribution towards the rally, they expect to give out more money in other social corporate responsibilities.

The RAC president Yves Kagina thanked KCB for their continuous support towards the development of the sport in Rwanda, saying "We will ensure that we organize a successful event again this year.”

According to Toroitich, KCB will also facilitate the screening of the rally on DSTV and playing a leading role in social corporate responsibilities.

Former two-time national rally champion Rudy Cantanhede won last year’s edition in one hour, 57 minutes and 7 seconds driving a Subaru Impreza N8.

Navigated by Sylvia Vindevogel in a Subaru Impreza N10, Giancarlo Davite was six seconds off the pace while African champion James Whyte from Zimbabwe followed closely in third place in a time of 1 hour, 57 minutes and 26 seconds.

Uganda’s Jas Mangat finished fourth while Rwanda’s corner specialist Olivier Costa in a Subaru Impreza N11 rounded off the top five after clocking 2 hours, 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

This year’s rally which will cover Northern, Kigali and Eastern provinces is set to attract leading African rally drivers from South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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