Kenya enters teams for continental chess prison event
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Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 08.10.24. | 14:31
The teams are competing in three categories, the Open Section, the Women’s Section, and the Youth Section, showcasing Kenya’s commitment to inclusivity in this international event
Kenya has entered three teams in the fourth Intercontinental Chess Championship for Prisons, an online event that began on Tuesday.
The teams are competing in three categories, the Open Section, the Women’s Section, and the Youth Section, showcasing Kenya’s commitment to inclusivity in this international event.
The teams have been picked from inmates at the Nairobi West Prisons. Apart from Kenya, other African countries taking part in the two-day event are Malawi, Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa.
According to Chess Kenya president Bernard Wanjala, the tournament is part of a broader initiative to use chess as a rehabilitation tool, benefiting the mental well-being and personal development of incarcerated individuals.
“This effort is made possible through a partnership between Chess Kenya and The Gift of Chess, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing chess into underserved communities, including prisons.
The Kenyan teams’ participation highlights the value of chess as a transformative activity, promoting critical thinking, problem-solving, and social reintegration,” he said.
He said Kenya’s participation aligns with the objectives of the Chess for Freedom program, which operates under the FIDE Social Commission, a global initiative that has successfully introduced chess in several Kenyan correctional facilities.
“This program aims to enhance prisoners’ cognitive skills, encourage positive mental engagement, and foster a sense of community through chess.
By participating in this championship, Kenya continues to demonstrate its dedication to using chess as a means of rehabilitation, underscoring the social and rehabilitative potential of the game for inmates and promoting a culture of constructive change within its prison system.”
The championship involves prisons from around the world, each with a shared goal of improving inmates’ mental health and preparing them for life post-incarceration.
Elsewhere, more than 200 players have registered to take part in this weekend’s Mombasa Open chess championships that will be held at Light House Academy.
A total of 150 men have registered while 50 players have registered in the women's section. The number is likely to go up as the deadline for registration is Thursday. A Ksh220,000 prize fund is on offer for the participants.
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