The Kenya Army recently hosted its first-ever chess tournament at Kahawa Garrison, marking a significant milestone in the integration of chess into the military’s sporting culture.
The event, organized by the Kenya Army Chess Team, was presided over by the Commander of the Kenya Army, Lieutenant General David Tarus.
Lt. Gen. Tarus emphasized the importance of chess as a tool for enhancing mental acuity within the armed forces.
He described the tournament as the start of a structured approach to incorporating chess into the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) training regimen.
“Today marks the beginning of an exciting journey to make chess an integral part of our sporting activities,” said Lt. Gen. Tarus. “This initiative will not only improve our analytical thinking but also enhance our resilience and decision-making under pressure, qualities vital for our work as soldiers.”
The tournament saw over 105 players compete in a six-round format. Defence Headquarters Camp Admin Unit (DHQ CAU) clinched the team title, followed by the Armoured Brigade in second place and the 4th Brigade in third.
In the individual competition, Major Solomon Sang from the Armoured Brigade emerged as the champion with a perfect score of 6 points. Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) Yohana Were from DHQ CAU secured second place, while Warrant Officer Class One (WO1) Paul Ogwayo from Kahawa Garrison took third.
The event was attended by several senior military officers, including Brigadier Bernard Korir, Commandant of DHQ CAU, Brigadier Martin Lenamunai, Commander of Kahawa Garrison, Brigadier Collins Mitoko, Chief of Personnel Headquarters Kenya Army, and Brigadier Japheth Ndegwa, Chief of Army Medical Services, among other distinguished guests.
