Gayaza Junior and Wanyange Girls shine at inaugural KCB Schools Chess

Gayaza Junior School and Wanyange Girls School earned top honours at the inaugural KCB Schools Chess Tournament, held at Kampala Parents School on Saturday, after fielding the highest number of participants.

Gayaza Junior emerged best in the primary school category, while Wanyange Girls excelled in the secondary school category. Each school walked away with a complete solar power package, including a giant solar panel and accessories.

“Each player was earning points for the school in all eight rounds played,” noted tournament arbiter Victoria Nakirya.

Gayaza Junior School pupils

The tournament attracted a record 830 participants, aged between six and twenty years, making it the largest one-day schools chess event ever held in Uganda.

Both Gayaza Junior and Wanyange Girls lived up to expectations as tournament favorites after eight rounds of the Swiss rapid format, with each game played under a 15-minute time control.

In the individual competitions, reigning continental schools’ chess champions dominated the medal standings, helping St. Miriam Duggan Primary School collect the highest number of trophies.

Gold medal winners from St. Miriam Duggan included Francis Tumusiime, Melissa Edinansi, Ronald Wabwire, Apollo Ahumuza, Juliet Asaba, and Jemimah Namakula.

Other gold winners in the tournament were Solange Baliddawa (Gayaza Junior), Omara Samora (Friends International Academy), Susan Namukobe (Caltec Academy), Jovia Kazibwe (St. Julian), and Sherry Agaba (Triple C HomeSchool).

Sr. Miruun Duggan pupils in action

Gold winners from the international schools’ category included Alfene Ambdullah, Zion Mawejje (Precious Ones International School), Stanley Mborifuko (Greenhill Academy), Vyom Verma (Shree Sahajanand School), and Jasmine Tamba (Aion International Christian School).

Each gold winner received a gold medal, a trophy, a school bag, a T-shirt, and a KCB Cub Account opened in their name.

All second-place finishers received a silver medal, a bottle, and a T-shirt, while bronze winners walked away with a medal and a T-shirt. Each participating school was also given new chess boards based on the number of players it entered.

Tournament organizer Vianney Mukalazi of Brand Chess Life commended KCB Bank for its generous sponsorship. In addition to awarding solar power systems to the top schools, the bank opened Cub Accounts for the top three finishers in every age category (6–20 years) as part of its financial literacy program for children.

"We thank the participants and parents for the overwhelming turnout. Besides opening bank accounts for the top performers, KCB also donated 500 chess boards, which were distributed to the participating schools. Next year, we are targeting 1,000 participants," said Mukalazi.

KCB Bank Experience Manager Zainab Kalyango said the tournament was organized to nurture young chess talent while promoting financial literacy among children.

Daphine Kato of Kampala Parents School applauded the Uganda Chess Federation (UCF) for partnering in an event that equips learners with critical thinking and intellectual skills. She also thanked parents for their continued support of their children's participation in chess.