Independence Scrabble Tournament in Uganda
So October 9th 2k+5 came to pass and Uganda says she is 43 years old and counting. Actually, Uganda lived before October 9th, 1962, before the mzungu or Arabs before them ever set foot our soil. Now, I should not delve into my usual rigmarole, should I?
My mission today is to reminesce on the events of 8th and 9th October 2k+5. As it was, Scrabble Association of Uganda organised the annual Independence scrabble tournament. I put in alot of time and resources so that a new culture of tournament organisation in Uganda is born, also to give the Kenyan contigent a run for their money.
It is important to note that competitive scrabble games in this country was intoduced by KASA, i.e Kenya Amateur Scrabble Association in June 2001. The frontline club of Busia Kenya lead by Matayo Bwire (current KASA chairman), Joash Manyasa (publicity Desk now) and the then club members Bernard Amuke and Kassim stormed YMCA in Wandegeya for the inaugural tournament.
I remember over forty people attended, notably Prof. Kawuma of Makerere University, a Nyakoojo of some consultancy firm on Blacklines house that I can not remember, etc. As the games commenced, Prof. Kawuma was to be humiliated by the late Kiggundu F. then a senior six student. That is scrabble for you. The seniors have to earn their respect.
Well, five years and over fifty tournament later on, the scene in Uganda is different and many players now routinely humble the towering Kenyans. Ask D. Assessa, Macharia Kimani, Dr. Litunya, Bernard Amuke, Francis Wachira, J. Manyasa etal all of KASA; Ayo Odekunle, Femi Awowode of Nigeria and Paul Kalumba of Zambia. Their verdict will be that Uganda has come a long way and can challenge at the highest level.
Anyhow, the Independence tournament is on and teams/players have come from Kabale, Iganga and Busia Kenya. In total 19 players and; Joash has not arrived in time for us to use the pairing and rating system.
Davis Kinene, the SAU tournament director pairs and flag of the games and at the end of round one, Wafula Mackton of Busia is in a commanding lead while the Ugandan representative to the World Championship, Geria Richard has had a rude awakening from his vice chairman, Baleero David.
Game two commences thankfully using AU40 pairing software mounted on Isaac Musoke’s laptop. Ah! Bosita and Ssenoga report now. Unfortunately they cannot play as they are time barred and had not confirmed participation in advance. So, the computer can not register them.
Luckily for Bosita, Kibet has un emergency and is promptly bought out. There is now a problem for the Ugandan players. Kibet was a spread giver. As for Bosita, the former chairman of Busia scrabble club is a lethal player capable of taking the tournament.
It is 3 o’clock and players are famished. There is a buffet luncheon on the sideline and the Yovani hotel does not disappoint. On the menu is grilled chicken, marinated beef, leafy greens and groundnuts stew accompanied by etooke, irish, Ugali and sweet potatoes. After treating themselves to a feast, the players are rearing to go for game five.
What? The computer? What has happened to the Computer? Now, for a country whose last two generations have had the misfortune of encountering the obnoxious computer. It was just a feeling of de ja vu. In our time, the computer has misplaced the examination results for many agonising students. Remember UNEB? The computer has not calculated the payroll for the pensioners. It has not released the list of gratuity payees. etc etc.
Now with that hindsight, many Ugandans are impatient with that machine. So what do we do? Well, Kinene has a simple answer. Forget the darned computer, the darneder AU40. Pair manually and get on with the tournament.
Manyasa will have none of Kinene’s postulations and insists on pairing by computer. What’s the nearest solution? Aha! the internet cafe. So game five henceforth we rush to the computer cafe a block away on Basajjabalaba’s Regency hotel and pair the next games. On and on until the last games.
By the last count on day two (read 9/10/2k+5) Joash has won the tournament having lost only one game. I manage second position on account of deposing Greens Kamugisha on table two. I also tie on highest number of Bingos with Dr. Meko Godfrey. Worthy to note, Wafula Mackton who had won the Iganga tournament at the end of July can now finish third.
Time for niceties - The Monitor Publication got plaudits from officials and players for being the first corporate to sponsor Scrabble in Uganda. Many players vowed henceforth to put the newspaper high on their spending agenda.
Players from Manyasa down to position six got Daily Monitor T-Shirts as well as the best debutante - Owiny Emanuel of Makerere University, Best lady - Margaret Abwooli, Best young player - Isaac Musoke and finally Ssenoga Ahmed the presiding official.
Please see the tournament statictics below
Stats for Tournament : 5TH UGANDA INDEPENDEPENCE SCRABBLE TOURNAMENT
+————————-+———–+———+———–+—————-+
| state Name | National | State | Wins | Rating Points |
| | Old New | Old New | Exp Act | Old Change New |
+————————-+———–+———+———–+—————-+
+Section: *SENIOR + + + +
+————————————-+———+———–+—————-+
| OS Joash Manyasa | 1 1 | 1 1 | 9.0 17.0 | 1500 +340 1840 |
| OS Geria Richard | 3 2 | 3 2 | 9.0 12.0 | 1500 +90 1590 |
| OS Mackton Wafula | 2 3 | 2 3 | 9.0 11.0 | 1500 +60 1560 |
| OS Kayondo Hamdan | 5 5 | 5 5 | 9.0 11.0 | 1500 +60 1560 |
| OS Greens Kamugisha | 4 4 | 4 4 | 9.0 11.0 | 1500 +60 1560 |
| OS Godfrey Meko | 6 6 | 6 6 | 9.0 10.0 | 1500 +30 1530 |
| OS Paul Bosita | 7 7 | 7 7 | 9.0 10.0 | 1500 +30 1530 |
| OS Isaac Musoke | 9 8 | 9 8 | 9.0 10.0 | 1500 +30 1530 |
| OS Peter lumumba | 8 9 | 8 9 | 9.0 9.0 | 1500 +0 1500 |
| OS Davis Kinene | 10 10 | 10 10 | 9.0 9.0 | 1500 +0 1500 |
| OS Jasper Okuu | 11 11 | 11 11 | 9.0 9.0 | 1500 +0 1500 |
| OS Emmanuel Mukwaya | 12 12 | 12 12 | 9.0 9.0 | 1500 +0 1500 |
| OS Lawrence onyoin | 13 13 | 13 13 | 9.0 8.0 | 1500 -30 1470 |
| OS Welbon Binyomo | 16 15 | 16 15 | 9.0 8.0 | 1500 -30 1470 |
| OS Magret Abwoli | 14 14 | 14 14 | 9.0 8.0 | 1500 -30 1470 |
| OS Emmanuel Owiny | 20 16 | 20 16 | 9.0 7.0 | 1500 -60 1440 |
| OS Paul Kizza | 15 18 | 15 18 | 9.0 6.0 | 1500 -90 1410 |
| OS David Balero | 17 17 | 17 17 | 9.0 6.0 | 1500 -90 1410 |
| OS James Asuga | 18 19 | 18 19 | 9.0 5.0 | 1500 -120 1380 |
| OS Steven Ssali | 19 20 | 19 20 | 9.0 4.0 | 1500 -150 1350 |
+————————————-+———+———–+—————-+
Notes:
List sorted in Tournament Finishing order
Players marked with an ‘*’ were not previously rated
——– Movers:
Joash Manyasa went up 340 points
——– Shakers:
CHHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEERS, GERIA
