Chess Association of Malawi (Chessam) president has once again gone into history as the first woman president for the Zone 4.5 region.
Women Power: Lopang and Namangale share a moment after announcement of results
Namangale, who also became the first female president for chess in Malawi and the first woman in Africa to hold such a position rose to the whelm of the Zone 4.5 after narrowly edging Tseliso Motloeloa from Lesotho by 6 votes against 4 in a tightly contested election held Thursday at the Leela Palace in Chennai, India.
Zone 4.5 compromise Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and Lesotho.
Initially, there were three candidates that included outgoing president Joe Mahomole but the South African pulled out shortly after announcement of results for the continental African Chess Union (ACC) poll, which saw another woman Tshepiso Lopang from Botswana winning the continental presidency with a landslide victory.
ACC congress Namangale addresses the international delegates after her election
Lopang defeated outgoing ACC vice president Benard Wanjala of Kenya and Hesham Elgindy from Egypt by 29 votes against 7 and 4, respectively to become the first female president of the continental chess body.
Sports Council Board member Lieutenant General Clement Kafuwa, retired who accompanied the Malawi Chess teams as a government representative witnessed the historic elections which will be followed by Fide elective congress on Friday, August 7, 2022.
In his congratulatory remarks, Kafuwa said the election of Namangale was a blessing for Malawi and the zone, describing her as a ‘very hard working and goal oriented woman.”
