When conversations turn to loyalty in Ugandan motorsport, one name deserves special mention — Hajji Haruna Kataza famously known as (QUEEN).
In an era where drivers change rally cars as often as they change race suits, Kataza remains one of the few competitors whose heart beats in Subaru blue. If Subaru Corporation ever launched a fan club in Uganda, his membership card should already be printed.
Away from the dust and noise of rally stages, Kataza is a coffee farmer and businessman from Nakatooke, Bulo Sub-county in Butambala District. Yet every time he puts on a helmet, he transforms into one of Uganda’s most exciting rally drivers.
Since making his National Rally Championship debut in 2023, Kataza has earned a reputation for fearless driving, raw speed, and an ability to extract every ounce of performance from machinery many would consider outdated.
His rally journey began with a Subaru Impreza N8 before progressing to a Subaru N12. While rivals often rely on newer, more powerful machinery, Kataza has repeatedly proven that commitment, courage, and skill can compensate for horsepower deficits.
Like every aspiring rally driver under the Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU), Kataza began his journey through autocross, coming from a background where street driving was familiar territory, he quickly learned that rallying demanded much more than simply being fast. Autocross taught him discipline, rallying taught him time management, regulations and race craft.
Most importantly, motorsport taught him patience. Those lessons helped transform him from a passionate enthusiast into a respected National Rally Championship competitor.
Today, he proudly says motorsport has changed his life, not only is his name now recognized across rally circles, but the sport has also introduced him to lifelong friendships and a growing fan base that extends far beyond the coffee-growing communities he comes from.
Every rally driver has a hero. For Kataza, that hero is Uganda’s rally legend Ponsiano Lwakataka and Japanese Toyota driver Takamoto Katsuta.
Long before he entered the cockpit, Kataza admired Lwakataka’s fearless driving style and commitment to the sport.
Today, he counts it as one of his greatest achievements to call his childhood idol a friend. Yet one dream remains to line up on the same starting line as Lwakataka in a competitive event and challenge himself against one of Uganda’s greatest rally drivers.
For Kataza, that would be more than a race.
It would be the realization of a dream.
Kataza’s relationship with Subaru is almost a love story. His rally career started with the Subaru N8 before transitioning to the Subaru N12. Both cars belong to Subaru’s famous Group N lineage, vehicles designed around the legendary Subaru Impreza platform.
The N8 is based on the 2001-2002 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, powered by Subaru’s famous turbocharged EJ20 boxer engine, it delivers excellent balance thanks to its low center of gravity, symmetrical all-wheel-drive system provides traction on loose gravel, making it highly effective.
The N12 represents an evolution of the Impreza rally platform featuring improved suspension geometry, stronger driveline components, and better chassis rigidity, offers superior handling and stability at high speed. Its advanced active differential systems help distribute power efficiently across all four wheels, allowing drivers to maintain control even in challenging conditions.
Despite his growing reputation, Kataza faces one major challenge, reliable technical personnel. Motorsport is not only about drivers, behind every successful rally car is a team of skilled mechanics, engineers, and technicians who ensure the machine performs at its peak.
Finding and retaining experienced mechanics remains one of the biggest hurdles in his rally journey yet despite the challenges, he continues to push forward.
Like every ambitious rally driver, Kataza dreams bigger, his ultimate goal is to bring a Subaru-powered Proto car to Uganda.
More specifically, he dreams of owning a Ford Fiesta Proto fitted with a Subaru powerplant.
Proto cars represent the highest level of rally technology available in Uganda.
Unlike Group N cars, Proto machines feature lightweight tubular chassis construction, advanced suspension systems, wider tracks, aggressive aerodynamics, and significantly more power. A properly built Ford Fiesta Proto equipped with a tuned Subaru EJ-series engine could produce well over 300 horsepower while weighing considerably less than a standard Group N car.
For the 2026 season, Kataza’s target is clear.
Finish inside the top five of the National Rally Championship standings. It is an ambitious goal, but one that reflects his growing confidence and experience.
Beyond that lies the bigger dream, a machine capable of matching his fearless driving style, worthy of his Subaru loyalty that could elevate him into the next chapter of Ugandan rallying.
Kataza offers a simple but honest message to young people dreaming about rallying.
“Work hard and make money first.”
Unlike many sports, motorsport is expensive.
Cars, fuel, spare parts, tires, transport, mechanics, and entry fees all require significant investment. Rallying is driven by passion, but passion alone is not enough, his advice is practical because he understands the reality.
Motorsport is rarely an income-generating venture, it is a commitment fueled by love for competition.
From the coffee farms of Butambala to the dusty rally roads of Uganda, Hajji Haruna Kataza has built a reputation through determination, loyalty, and pure speed. He may not yet own the fastest car in the field and still chasing his Proto dream but one thing is certain, every time a Subaru lines up at the start line with Haruna Kataza behind the wheel, spectators know they are about to witness something special because some drivers race cars, Haruna Kataza races possibilities.
