Kasparov seeks support for Fide presidency

A chess enthusiast takes on Kasparov during an exhibition game in Kampala on Thursday. Photo BYGEOFFREY SSERUYANGE

KAMPALA.
So far, only one candidate has registered to unseat Kirsan Ilyumzhinov as president of the World Chess governing body, Fide.
Garry Kasparov. And, in connection to his campaign he returned to Uganda this week to try and garner support to unseat Ilyumzhinov, who has led Fide for 18 years.

“I have toured over 48 countries for the past eight months,” Kasparov, 51, said during a dinner held in Kampala on Thursday evening. “I discovered that many children in Africa have the talent but they are struggling with the opportunity to grow. However, I want to change that perception so that we have African chess players recognised world-wide if I am elected.”

He announced his candidacy for the Fide presidency last year after Ilyumzhinov announced interest to stand for this year’s election for another term since 1995.

Kasparov also revealed that he is rallying to get global funders to roll out the programme to all schools in the country later this year if he is elected.

In July last year the Russian chess Grand Master and his wife Dasha completed a trip across seven African nations including Uganda to meet with chess and education officials as well as chess players and kids.

During that visit, he launched the Chess in School programme and pledged to donate chess equipment to various schools. Recently, he fulfilled his pledge by donating 70 chess sets to Kagoma Gate Friendship School, an institution for the less privileged.