A month ago, Uganda qualified ten players for the Zone 4.2 African Individual Chess Championships that get underway this weekend at Central Hotel, Jimma – Ethiopia
Patrick Kawuma, Haruna Nsubuga, Thomas Katairo, Allan Mathias Ssonko, Joshua Katumba [Open category] and Ivy Clare Amoko, Shakira Ampaire, Penninah Nannozi, Kevin Benitah Naddya and Safina Mugide [Women category] all booked their places at the annual event last month.
The above were all expected to represent the country in Ethiopia, but that’s not going to happen because four players failed to get sponsorship.
While six managed to secure funding, the quartet of Katairo, Ssonko, Naddya and Mugide was unsuccessful meaning; they will not be part of the travelling team.
The quartet’s dreams of representing their country and possibly bettering their ratings have been shuttered due to financial constraints.
“I knew it was going to be hard for me to sponsor myself. Sponsorship can’t be relied on so some of us had to miss. We just have to wait for other opportunities. They will come,” said Katairo who finished third behind Fide Maters Nsubuga and Kawuma at the Zonal Qualifiers.
Uganda will now have three players in the Open section and as many in the Women’s compete. The sextet is expected to travel on Saturday at 3am aboard Ethiopian Airways.
