Asaba leads Uganda’s dominance at Kampala Schools Chess Festival

Fresh from her triumph at the African Individual Schools Chess Championships in Mombasa, Kenya, Juliet Asaba, the African champion in the U-13 girls category continued her stellar form by clinching another gold medal at the inaugural Kampala Schools Chess Festival.

The event was held at Shree Sahajanand School in Ntinda, Uganda.

Competing in the U-14 girls category, Asaba went unbeaten in eight games, amassing 7.5 points. Her closest rival, Olivia Asiimwe, secured the silver medal with 7 points.

Other standout performers from the African Schools team included Suhana Anil Yadav (U-12), Tandeka Shillow (U-18), Bigisha Gary Noah (U-6), and Francis Tumusiime (U-10), all of whom won gold medals in their respective categories.

Ronald Wabwire, who previously won bronze at the African Schools Championships, dominated the U-12 category with an unbeaten run across eight games to claim gold. In the U-14 boys category, Innocent Baguma edged out Alvin Muhiirwa for the top spot, scoring 7 points to Muhiirwa’s 6.5.

All winners received certificates and medals, while overall champions in each category were awarded 32-inch TV screens.

The festival, which drew participation from over 50 schools nationwide, saw Ugandan medalists from the recent African Schools tournament dominate across all age groups.

Patrick Ojok, General Secretary of the Uganda Chess Federation and guest of honor, praised the organizers for hosting a highly competitive event. “This is a great platform not only for our future chess stars but also for our international representatives. Their dominance here reaffirms their well-deserved victories at the African Schools Championships,” he said.

John Vianney Mukalazi, one of the organizers from Brand Life Chess Academy, expressed optimism about the future of chess in schools. “With festivals like this, chess is poised to become a leading sport in our education system,” he noted.