William Muwonge, "Arbiter Wants More Women," New Vision, 31 March 2005 (Kampala, Uganda).

THE chief arbiter at the Easter chess championship has challenged Uganda and Rwanda to involve more girls and women in the game.

"The two countries should devise programmes to encourage their women to play the game," arbiter Isaac Babu said.

Babu, a member of Kenya Chess Association (KCA) said that in Kenya, women are much more competitive. "Each day, more women are taking up the game," Babu said.

The Easter event attracted 134 players, including 16 Kenyans and five Rwandans. The entry included only 12 women.

Uganda's Moses Kawuma won the men's contest. The women's title was won by Jane Wambugu of Kenya while the U-15 boy's title went to Yusuf Kayondo and girl's award to Bella Tumusingize.

Babu said KCA has steadily encouraged girls and women to play chess, and their efforts paid off when a full team competed at the Olympiad last year.

William Muwonge, "UCF Ban Lauritsen," New Vision, 1 April 2005 (Kampala, Uganda).

UGANDA Chess Federation (UCF) has banned its number one enemy Niels Lauritsen for one year.

The ban, taken at a meeting on March 19 and effective yesterday, rules Lauritsen out of all UCF activities.

UCF chairman Enoch Barumba, announced seven grounds for the ban in a press release dated March 29.

The chairman said Lauritsen had made "unauthorised correspondence to Kenyan and Rwandan players dissuading them from attending the Easter tournament."

Eugene Mutara, "Top Seeds Miss Trip," The New Times, 1 April 2005 (Kigali, Rwanda).

Rwanda's top chess players, initially selected to lead the team to Kampala for The New Vision Chess Open, bowed out due their respective working schedules.

The annual event, where Rwandans are making their debut, kicked off last Friday to run until Friday this week.

The duo, who missed the trip included Flash FM's accountant Alex Ruzigura, and Dr. Ben Karenzi, who recently finished first runners-up in the Rwanda Chess Open.

Ruzingura, who is the Rwanda's reigning chess champion, expressed disappointment over the failure to participate in the Kampala tourney.

"I would have gone but I had too much work that could not pave way for me," he added.

According to the federation president John Ngarambe, twelve players made the trip to Kampala. The president said that the team, full of young players, would have an opportunity to attain vast experience.

"They might not be so good in the competition but will get the exposure which they need," Ngarambe added.

Posted by The Chess Drum: 2 April 2005