Queen becomes the driving ‘Queen’!

By Tshegofatso Ramaphoko.

Queen Kalimpinya race preparation photoshoot

From being crowned Miss Rwanda in 2017 to now being Rwanda’s first off-road racing female driver.

Queen Kalimpinya is a Rwandan young woman who is goal driven and a dream chaser from Kigali, Rwanda. The former beauty pageant queen was crowned Miss Rwanda in 2017 and is now venturing in different streams. “I am competitive, I always want to win, but I always protect my emotions and my heart in everything I do” said Kalimpinya.

Kalimpinya is now a young businesswoman in the international as well as local clothing industry. She and her co-founder and business partner Madam Maryse started the clothing manufacturing business called Asantii, in hopes of making African inspired designs.

She has always wanted and dreamt of being a driver and she now gets to be the first off-road racing women in Rwanda. “I’ve always said if I get an opportunity to be a driver, I will jump for it”, says Kalimpinya.

She mentioned that her off-road racing career started with her being an award-winning co-driver, which motivated her to challenge herself and take the wheel.

Kalimpinya was a co-driver for three years and in that period, she enjoyed mapping roads for drivers, as well instructing the drivers on the track. After her driver announced that they will not be racing any further, Kalimpinya saw an opportunity to take the chance and compete as a driver.

Kalimpinya and her previous driver

Her first race was at Mountain Gorilla Rally 2022 in Rwanda, this is what she had to say about the experience “nothing about being a women hindered me. People supported me instead. They seemed happy that finally there is a Rwandan woman who became a driver”.

It was unfortunate that during her racing her racing car got broken on the track, this was after her co-driver realised that the fuel pipe cracked which caused the car to break down. “It feels sad. I don’t know if I’m emotional about cars but seeing it on the breakdown truck going home after driving it makes me sad” says Kalimpinya.

Despite the mechanical challenges she faced at Mountain Gorilla Rally, Kalimpinya remains motivated to continue with the next races going forth.