
By Duncan Mlanjira
Newly-elected Central Region Chess League (CRCL) chairperson, Mark Ndipita has pledged to strengthen online chess by organising monthly tournaments that will offer attractive prizes.
SRCL went to the polls last Sunday at Kamuzu Institute for Sports that ushered in Ndipita as the head with Tapiwa Banda elected as vice-chairperson; Kondwani Magombo as general secretary and Leonard Mbwana as treasurer.

Mark Ndipita
Davie Mawango is the league’s publicity secretary, Candidate Master (CM) Petros Mfune is the regional schools coordinator while committee members are Chikondi Manetti, CM George Mwale and Laston Kaledzera.
Among initiatives that Ndipita’s pledges include to widen the league’s resource base by engaging various potential sponsors to provide gadgets such as high speed internet dongles to support the online chess tournaments as well as other chess tools and equipment.
He also pledges to increase the number of chess players in communities, schools and colleges by engaging Candidate Masters and successful people in CRCL to be used as role models through making motivation talks and play simultaneous games.

Joseph Mwale
He said Malawi’s top ranked chess player, Joseph Mwale shall be engaged to play the role of chess ambassador for the corporate world as one way of rewarding talent in CRCL — thereby attracting more people to start playing the game.
He says the League shall also honour and respect titled players such as Candidate Masters and Fide Masters that shall participate in any of CRCL tournament.
“Any tournament with good sponsorship amount shall put aside a certain percentage appearance fees for titled players like CMs and FMs, WFMs as a token of appreciation, and as one way of encouraging other players to have ambitions for titles.

Mawango, new publicity secretary
“It’s high time we gave more respect to titled players in this noble game in Malawi. Let’s give a meaning to titles and CRCL shall set the tone and the pace,” Ndipita said.
He pledged to promote transparency and accountability as well as good planning and strengthening of reporting and monitoring of chess.
“For instance, members in CRCL will be timely updated periodically on plans and calendar of events to keep the league vibrant and attract more participation,” he said.

Leonard Mbwana elected as treasurer
He also is for the promotion of CRCL members’ social welfare in issues such as funerals, weddings, engagements and others.
Schools, colleges, communities and districts will be targeted as the promotion of chess at all levels and in all gender categories.
Ndipita has replaced Eddie Kulesi and the other previous members were Aaron Phiri (vice chair), Zex Chikwhiya (general secretary), James Mwale (publicity secretary), Fidelis Jimu (treasurer) and commitee member Mannet Karjakin.

Coronavirus alert
Meanwhile, Northern Region League also assured in a new committee that has Francis Kudzula as chairperson, Vincent Luhanga as vice-chairperson, Francisco Mwangupili as general secretary and Darwin Laura as treasurer.
The publicity secretary is Tina Kumwenda, schools coordinator is Knowledge Mtambo and executive members are Wilson Chingati, Kondwani Phimba and Willard Msendema.
In the run up to the elections, Chess Association of Malawi (CHESSAM) treasurer Vitumbiko Ndovie managed to solicit a sponsor K100,000 sponsorship from Bori Medical Ltd for a rapid tournament, which former CHESSAM president Kezzie Msukwa, now Minister of Lands topped up a further K200,000 for a pre-election tournament.
Msukwa is also currently serving as secretary general for African Chess Confederation.

Coronavirus alert