The removal of registration fees and introduction of a new points scoring system by the African Rally Championship (ARC), has enticed Rwandan crew of Jean Gakwaya and Claude Mugabo to register for 2017 continental competition.

Gakwaya’s entry into the race, in his a Subaru Impreza N12, takes the number of crews vying for ARC title to 17. The new points scoring system requires drivers to finish in the top ten positions from an event to score ARC points.

"We shall compete for this year’s ARC points because of the latest changes to the rules. The new points scoring system is good because it will increase competition and the removal of registration fee has also made it easy for us to register to race in all the seven ARC rounds,” Gakwaya told Times Sport.

He said: "We shall miss the Kenya Safari rally next month because we are not ready; however, we shall compete in the other five rounds in Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, and the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla.”

Meanwhile, Burundi’s Valery Bukera returns to the ARC scene after six years. He will be navigated by Nital Khetia in their Subaru Impreza N12. Bukera last featured in the ARC in 2011 when he finished fourth overall.

Other Burundian crews in the competition are Mohammed Roshanali and navigator Jean-Jean Ginsen. Uganda has the biggest number of entrants with six drivers already registered, among them: Jas Mangat, Duncan Mubiru, Abdu Sempebwa, Alwi Hassan, Fitidis Christakis and Yasin Nasser.

Richard Leeke and Henry Carl Kohne is the only crew from South Africa in the race. There are also three crews from Kenya, namely; defending champion Don Smith and Jaspreet Chatthe (the first Kenyan to win the ARC in 2015) as well as Jonathan Somen.

Zambians will be anger to take the title with them back to Lusaka through the Muna Singh brothers, Muna Singh Jr. and Jassy Singh, as well as the Gomes brothers; Leroy and Kleeven.

The number of drivers is expected to increase further, with Ivorian Gary Chaynes (ARC champions in 2014) and Zambia’s Essa Mohammed (2012 winner) expected to register before deadline on April 30.

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