The Norwegian Embassy has waived visa fees for the 12-member Malawi chess squad expected to fly to Oslo, Norway in August to participate in the 2014 World Chess Olympiad.
According to Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) publicist Gilton Mkumbwa, it has pleased Norwegian DeputyAmbassador Jan Håkon Olsson to help the local chess governing body to save at least K400 000 through the waiver.
“This is good news as it has helped us to save in terms of expenditure and we are very grateful to the Norwegian government through their deputy ambassador for their support,” said Mkumbwa.
At this year’s 41st World Chess Olympiad, Malawi will be represented by candidate master Chiletso Chipanga, Joseph Nyambalo, Alfred Chimthere, George Mwale and Gerald Mphungu in the men’s category while Ellen Mpinganjira, Vitumbiko Gondwe, Desderata Nkhoma, Margaret Mgugama and Royce Msiska will carry the flag in the ladies’ section.
The players will be accompanied by Chessam president Kezzie Msukwa and his deputy Mark Chikoko.
Malawi has been participating in the biennial contest, which will run from August 1 to August 15, since 2006.
In the current squad, Chipanga and Nyambalo are the only individuals that represented the country at the 2012 event in Turkey. The likes of Joseph Mwale, Paul Kuphwatheya and Richard Mbedza, who are based in South Africa, failed to make it at this year’s event after stumbling in the qualifiers.
