Kakamega, August 25, 2025 – The Europe Today: Chess Kenya (CK) has hailed the inclusion of chess in the Federation of East African Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) calendar, marking a major milestone for the sport’s development in the region.
Chess, alongside Scrabble, was introduced this year, with the original plan being to feature as a demonstration sport. However, organizers upgraded chess to a competitive category, allowing teams and individuals to vie for medals.
“I want to extend my gratitude to FEASSSA for incorporating chess in their calendar. This will go a long way in growing the game in the country,” said CK president Bernard Wanjala, adding that talks with the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSSA) will determine whether chess will be slotted into the Term One or Term Two calendar.
Kenyan students dominated the inaugural competition hosted at Masinde Murilo University of Science and Technology (MMUST), collecting three gold, four silver, and two bronze medals. Uganda finished with one gold and two bronze medals.
In the individual boys’ category, Jadon Simiyu won gold with 5.5/6 points, while Nathaniel Manyeki and Wayne Njarumi both secured silver with 5/6 points. On the girls’ side, Elizabeth Cassidy claimed gold with a perfect 6/6 score, as Kaloki Zuri and Shukri Shakira added silver and bronze respectively, each with 5/6 points.
The team competitions saw St. Mary’s College Kisubi of Uganda secure gold with 14 points, followed by Kenya’s The Tigers with 12 points and St. Henry’s College Kitovu with 10 points. In the girls’ category, Kenya’s Queens Gambit bagged gold with 18 points, ahead of compatriots Royal Checkmates on 11 points, while Uganda’s Wampewo Ntaake finished third with 10 points.
Simiyu was crowned Most Valuable Player with a perfect 6/6 record and a performance rating of 2,436. Cassidy was named girls’ MVP with a 6/6 record and a performance rating of 2,299.
“Having chess in FEASSSA for the first time is a great achievement. This will take the game to another level,” said Team Kenya coach Caroline Njeri.
Looking ahead, next year’s FEASSSA Games in Tanzania are expected to expand further, with lacrosse, cricket, beach football, and beach volleyball set to join the competition after being featured as demonstration sports in Kakamega.
