The Great Lakes Rally in Burundi was successfully hosted by Uganda in 1997, and this spurred the country to hold its own African Rally Championship event. This is how the Pearl of Africa Rally came to be. The rally has witnessed the ascent of exceptional drivers who have had a lasting impact on Uganda's rallying scene throughout its existence. In the history of Ugandan racing, icons like Sospeter Munyegera, Shekhar Mehta, Emmanuel Katto, Satwant Singh, Charlie Lubega, Moses Lumala, and Chipper Adams have left their mark and served as an inspiration to succeeding generations of rally fans.