A few days ago, the grandest young minds of the board recently converged for the annual Kampala Chess Festival! Bringing together an extraordinary lineup of young strategists, this prestigious tournament has solidified its place as a cornerstone of youth development and competitive brilliance.
Organized through a powerful partnership between Comrades Chess Academy and Great Thinkers Chess Academy—who serve as both passionate organizers and primary sponsors—the festival is a celebrated annual tradition that typically takes place on the 9th of June. Following a fantastic outing hosted by Shree Sahajanand School last year, this year’s action-packed 2nd Edition event moved to its vibrant new host, Asifiwe International Academy.
Kampala Quality Primary School Takes the Ultimate Prize!
While the competition across individual boards was fierce, teamwork and depth proved to be the ultimate game-changers. After days of brilliant tactics, calculations, and intense endgames, Kampala Quality Primary School put on a masterclass performance to claim the ultimate crown. As the tournament’s best-performing school, they walked away with the highly coveted grand prize: a brand-new TV!
A huge round of applause goes out to all the participating schools who brought their A-game to the festival:
- Kampala Quality Primary School (Grand Prize Winners!)
- Sister Miriam Duggan Primary School
- St Catherine Primary School
- Shree Sahajanand School
- Delhi Public School International
- Asifiwe International Academy (Proud Hosts!)
- Daffodils Primary School
- Grama Elementary School
- Peak Primary School
- Kampala Academy
- Aga Khan Education Services
- Arcons International School, among others
In attendance was the guest of honor, Mr Isaac Munanira, the Gambit Chess Patron and Chess Dispatch founder, who presented the awards alongside the academy and school officials.
The Final Podium Finishers
Here are the exceptional young players who fought their way to the podium:
Under 06 (U06) Category
U06 Girls
- 🥇 Gold: Jasmine Tamba Parwot (5 Pts)
- 🥈 Silver: Barigye Michaela (4 Pts)
- 🥉 Bronze: Ayla Noya Atamba (1½ Pts)
U06 Open
- 🥇 Gold: Musinguzi Joshua (3½ Pts)
- 🥈 Silver: Aristar Lewis Kibirige (3½ Pts)
- 🥉 Bronze: Levi Mushabe (2½ Pts)
Under 08 (U08) Category
U08 Girls
- 🥇 Gold: Mbabazi Jacinta (8 Pts)
- 🥈 Silver: Psalm Nicole Tamale (7 Pts)
- 🥉 Bronze: Nabyalu Patricia (6 Pts)
U08 Open
- 🥇 Gold: Matayo Barigye (7 Pts)
- 🥈 Silver: Kaweesi Samuel (7 Pts)
- 🥉 Bronze: Siima Munanukye (6 Pts)
Under 10 (U10) Category
U10 Girls
- 🥇 Gold: Babirye Karen (6 Pts)
- 🥈 Silver: Precious Abaasa Bampamya (5 Pts)
- 🥉 Bronze: Masha Kirabo (5 Pts)
U10 Open
- 🥇 Gold: Wanyama Vaughn Julian (6 Pts)
- 🥈 Silver: Hananie Mambi (6 Pts)
- 🥉 Bronze: Shreyash Shubhang (6 Pts)
Under 12 (U12) Category
U12 Girls
- 🥇 Gold: Iculet Chanelle Manuela Okurut (6 Pts)
- 🥈 Silver: Garikapati Srivalli (6 Pts)
- 🥉 Bronze: Nakaweesa Jireh Nicole Walusimbi (6 Pts)
U12 Open
- 🥇 Gold: Wabwire Ronald (7 Pts)
- 🥈 Silver: Mallick Matovu (6 Pts)
- 🥉 Bronze: Peter Kigozi (6 Pts)
Under 14 (U14) Category
U14 Girls
- 🥇 Gold: Asaba Juliet (8 Pts)
- 🥈 Silver: Suhana Anil Yadav (7 Pts)
- 🥉 Bronze: Arielle Atebat Ann (5½ Pts)
U14 Open
- 🥇 Gold: Ahumuza Apollo (8 Pts)
- 🥈 Silver: Bukenya Nicholas (6 Pts)
- 🥉 Bronze: Alenzo Pagliucoli (5½ Pts)
Looking Forward
The Kampala Chess Festival continues to prove that the future of chess in the region is incredibly bright. From 6-year-olds finding brilliant checkmates to tactical masterclasses in the Under 14 divisions, the dedication from coaches, schools, and parents is paying off.
Congratulations to all the podium winners, to Kampala Quality Primary School for their grand prize victory, and to Comrades Chess Academy and Great Thinkers Chess Academy for putting together an unforgettable event. See you at the next edition!
