(Press release courtesy of Uganda Chess Federation)
National Chess Champion, Arthur Ssegwanyi suffered a first round upset at the hands of little known Kenneth Kalyango in the first round of the Rwabushenyi Memorial Chess Championship that got underway on Saturday 10th December 2011 at Hotel Africana.
Other big names including Harold Wanyama, Haruna Nsubuga, Bob Bibasa, Geoffrey Kanduho and Shadrack Kantinti got first round wins against Derrick Kalema, Joel Emojong, Emmanuel Ayebazibwe, Edrine Habasa and Simon Baryeya respectively.
Kenya’s Jacktone Mone and Hinga Githinga also won their games against Sadat Muluya and Timothy Mbaziira while Phillip Singe drew with Uganda’s James Otto.
Tanzania’s Nurdin Hassuji and Mustafa Ebrahim lost to Derrick Mirembe and Martin Musiime respectively.
A total of 98 participants from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are taking part in the Open and ladies categories of the event sponsored by Civil Aviation Authority to the tune of UGX 8,500,000/=. This is the third time CAA is sponsoring the event in memory of the late Cyril Rwabushenyi, the Authority’s former Director Airports and also one of the founding members of the Uganda Chess Federation.
Three Tanzanians and seven Kenyans are taking part in the event.
A total of 9 rounds are to be played with two games played every day from 10th to 14th December 2011.
The FIDE rated tournament is arbitrated by Kenya’s FIDE Arbiter, Isaac Babu and Uganda’s FA Stephen Kisuze.