Queen Kalimpinya

Queen Kalimpinya
Kalimpinya in 2023
Born (1998-08-06) August 6, 1998
Gasabo District, Kigali, Rwanda
OccupationsRally driver, beauty queen

Queen Kalimpinya (born August 6, 1998) is a Rwandan rally driver and beauty queen. Kalimpinya was the third runner-up of Miss Rwanda in 2017, and became Rwanda's first female rally driver in 2022.

Biography

Queen Kalimpinya was born August 6, 1998,[1] in the Gasabo District of Kigali, Rwanda,[2] the youngest of five children.[3] Queen attended primary school at Ecole Primaire Cyahafi and APACOPE and continued her secondary education at St Aloys School in Rwamagana, before completing her senior year at Lycée de Kigali, where she graduated in 2015.[1] She holds an undergraduate degree in business administration[2] and an MBA in project management,[4] and works at an Asantii garment factory in Kigali.[4][5] She is Christian, worshiping at Noble Family Church and Women Foundation Ministries led by Mignone Alice Kabera;[1] she was baptized in May 2023.[6]

At the age of nineteen, Kalimpinya participated in Miss Rwanda 2017, where she was the third runner-up.[1][7][8]

Queen Kalimpinya began rally racing in 2019.[7] She started as a co-driver for Yoto Fabrice, getting fourth place in Sprint Rally All Star 2022 and second in the ‘Nyirangarama Sprint Rally’ held in May 2022.[9] In September 2022, she participated in the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally as a full driver for the first time, with Olivier Ngabo as her co-driver, becoming the first female Rwandan rally driver.[6][5][9] They did not finish the race due to mechanical issues.[10][11]

Kalimpinya participated in the Huye Rally in 2023,[7] coming second.[3] In 2026, she became the first woman to compete in the Safari Rally in 42 years.[4] For the competition, her car was upgraded from a Subaru GC8 to a Subaru Impreza WRX STI GVB.[12] The same year, she competed with the KCB Bank Kenya Rally Team in the 2026 Pearl of Africa Rally with co-driver Alain Gasarabwe.[13][14] They came eighth overall in the ARC classification and second in the ARC2 category.[14]

Kalimpinya received the 2024 Women in Leadership award in the sports category.[15][16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ndayishimiye, Mupende Gedeon (2017-08-07). "Miss Kalimpinya Queen yujuje imyaka 19 y'amavuko, bagenzi be bahuriye muri Miss Rwanda bamuvuga ibigwi" [Miss Kalimpinya Queen turns 19, her fellow contestants at Miss Rwanda celebrate her achievements]. InyaRwanda.com (in Kinyarwanda). Retrieved 2026-06-25.
  2. 1 2 Teta, Lisa (2022-04-04). "From runway to racetrack: Kalimpinya on chasing her rally racing dream". The New Times. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  3. 1 2 Kamaliza, Agnes (2024-09-02). "Miss Queen Kalimpinya yasabye abana kwirinda inshuti mbi no kwitinyuka" [Miss Queen Kalimpinya urged children to avoid bad friends and be bold]. Imvaho Nshya (in Kinyarwanda). Archived from the original on 2024-09-02. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  4. 1 2 3 "Breaking 42-year silence: Rwanda's Queen chases history at brutal rally". Daily Nation. 2026-02-25. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  5. 1 2 Aimé, Mbabazi Sharangabo Philbert (2023-06-06). "The Driver: Rwanda's first female rally driver 'Queen'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  6. 1 2 Vainqueur, Mahoro (2023-05-30). "Miss Queen Kalimpinya yabatijwe mu mazi menshi (Amafoto)" [Miss Queen Kalimpinya baptized in deep water (Photos)]. IGIHE (in Kinyarwanda). Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  7. 1 2 3 Bucyana, Yves (2023-04-20). "Queen Kalimpinya: 'Miss Rwanda' ubu wabanjirije abandi Banyarwandakazi gutwara imodoka zisiganwa" [Queen Kalimpinya: 'Miss Rwanda' is now the first Rwandan woman to drive race cars]. BBC News Gahuza (in Kinyarwanda). Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  8. ↑ Germaine, Yanditswe na Umukazana (2022-01-11). "RIB igiye gukurikirana ikirego cya Miss Kalimpinya" [RIB to follow up on Miss Kalimpinya's complaint]. Kigali Today (in Kinyarwanda). Retrieved 2026-06-25.
  9. 1 2 Nsengiyumva, Emmy (2022-09-14). "Miss Kalimpinya agiye guca agahigo k'Umunyarwandakazi wa mbere uzitabira 'Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally'" [Miss Kalimpinya is set to become the first Rwandan woman to participate in the 'Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally']. IGIHE (in Kinyarwanda). Archived from the original on 2022-09-21. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  10. ↑ Nsabimana, Eddie (2022-09-26). "Kalimpinya positive despite poor show at Rwanda Gorilla Rally". The New Times. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  11. ↑ Bucyana, Yves (2024-10-21). ""Njewe nk'imodoka yanjye iranduta, indusha imyaka..." - Queen Kalimpinya" ["I am like my car, it is older than me, older than me..." - Queen Kalimpinya]. BBC News Gahuza (in Kinyarwanda). Retrieved 2026-06-25.
  12. ↑ "Queen Kalimpinya: Rwanda's Rising Star Raring to Go at Safari Rally". Pulse Sports Kenya. 2026-03-12. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  13. ↑ Ikapi, Brice Dievan (2026-05-08). "Kalimpinya to fly Rwanda flag at Pearl of Africa rally". The New Times. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  14. 1 2 Ikapi, Brice Dievan (2026-05-10). "Kalimpinya secures ARC2 podium finish at Pearl of Africa Uganda rally". The New Times. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  15. ↑ "Aline Gahongayire, Kalimpinya Queen na Sherrie Silver bahataniye ibihembo" [Aline Gahongayire, Kalimpinya Queen and Sherrie Silver competed for prizes]. ISIMBI (in Kinyarwanda). 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
  16. ↑ "WILS 2024". Women In Leadership Summit & Awards. Retrieved 2026-06-24.
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