World Cup slots at stake as Africa Junior Chess Championships starts in Entebbe

More than 1,000 chess players from across the continent have registered to compete in the 17th edition of the Africa Junior Chess Championship.

The championship, organised by the African Chess Confederation, will take place at the Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel in Entebbe from Thursday, May 14, through May 23.

Participants, both boys and girls, will compete in six age categories: under-8, under-10, under-12, under-14, under-16, and under-18. In addition to medals and trophies, winners in the under-12, under-14, and open categories will receive the FIDE Master or Woman FIDE Master titles. Silver and bronze medalists will earn the Candidate Master or Woman Candidate Master titles. Winners in the under-8, under-10, and under-12 categories will qualify for the 2027 FIDE World Cup.

Woman International Master Sana Omprakash Kayyar will lead Uganda’s charge in the Under-18 girls’ category alongside Mackline Nakatudde, Patience Angel Atella, Hailey Nio Mitchelle, Zuri Tatiina, Sherry Ariella Agaba, Juliet Arinaitwe, and Kylee Keza Katongole. The Ugandan girls will face Egyptian WIM Mohamed Zaki Jana, as well as Woman Candidate Masters Maya Otimile (Botswana) and Bella Nashipae (Kenya).

In the Under-18 Open category, Uganda has fielded Kur Akut Deng, Shiloh Tandeka, Edmond Lwanga, Marius Lwazi Kisambwe, and Enrique Williams Byanasaye, who will compete against 27 others, including 20 Kenyans.

The Under-16 girls’ competition, which has attracted 95 contestants, features several titled players, including Ugandan Arena FIDE Masters Shoubhith Omprakash Kayyar and Mickey Kathan Mwanje, as well as South African Ettienne Van Meersbergen. Arena Candidate Master Deacon Dugmore is also in contention alongside FIDE Master Farid Tamer Waguih from Egypt. Kenya has over 40 entries in this category, including Francis Njenga, Adrian Gabriel Gichina, Adrian Mwikamba, Ibrahim Ismail Amin, and Ari Omari Ongwae.

The Under-16 girls’ competition has ten Ugandans in contention, including Jemimah Wanyana, Olivia Asiimwe, Suzan Namukobe, and Nyatia Aimee Ahumuza. They will face WFMs Elizabeth Cassidy Maina and Zuri Kaloki from Kenya, WCM Rachel Jailos from Malawi, ACM Snyman Mila Marie from South Africa, and AFM Jain Amyra from Zimbabwe, among others.

ACM Sianyinda Lubona Twalumba from Zambia will lead the charge in the Under-14 Open category, which has 145 participants. Ugandans in this category include Daniel Odokonyero, Apollo Ahumuza, Edwin Edel, Trevor Tumukunde, Dara Tendereza, and George Ssempijja, among others.

The top three contestants in the U-14 girls' category include WFM Egyptian Ahmed Mohamed Zakaa and WCMs Ugandan Juliet Asaba and Aina Tsinjoviniavo Mahasambatra from Madagascar, while the U-12 category has ACM Namibian James Dien, who will compete against the likes of Elvin Mukisa, Alpha Muwanguzi, Augustine Turyatemba, Mathias Mugenyi, Ronald Wabwire, Elvin Mukisa, Alpha Muwanguzi, Jaeden Andrew Tendo Kaweesi, Augustine Turyatemba, Noah Bakulumpagi, Eli Sekabembe, and Sujeet Singh Siddhant in the category with 186 competitors.

In the under-10, the charge for Uganda will be led by Arena Candidate Master (ACM) Hathi Yug, Elvis Tumusiime, Francis Tumusiime, Aaron Mwesigwa Kagoda, Abba Abigaba, Daniel Amuriat, Gonzaga Atugonza, Japhet Egolet, Zachary Kaijuka, Ernest Ssengero Kiggundu, Israel Micah Ruhigwa, Dretzel Mushabe, Isaac Kamurasi Musiime, Carson Nsimire, Alvin Segane, Julian Wanyama Vaughn, and Zane Uri Kamuntu.

Participants have been drawn from Botswana, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, and host Uganda.