Banker guns for top continental chess post

13 Jul, 2018 - 00:07 0 Views
Banker guns for top continental chess post

eBusiness Weekly

Chipo Sabeta
Zimbabwe Chess Federation (ZFC) vice-president, Clive Mphambela, is eyeing an international post following his nomination for the candidature for the position of treasurer of the African Chess Confederation.

The ACC is the controlling body for chess on the African continent representing 47 member countries.

Mphambela will be running under the wings of aspiring president Dr Essoh Essis, a veteran United Nations staffer, who is currently the president of FIDEC-“Federatione Ivoriene Des Echecs” or the Chess Federation of Ivory Coast.

Essis has chosen Mphambela together with four other professional administrators from across Africa to form a team he says will “lead together and reason together, in order to run a successful tenure”.

The elections, will be conducted during the general assembly of the World Chess Federation, which will be held in Batumi, Georgia from September 23 to October 12 this year.

Essoh expressed confidence in Mphambela, saying: “With Clive as treasurer of the continental chess board, Africa’s finances will be in safe hands for the next four years. As a certified and accomplished Fide Arbiter Clive is a Zimbabwean who firmly believes in doing the right thing, this is evidenced by the respect of various Southern African Federations who always want to have him as an arbiter in their tournaments.”

Mphambela joins a strong team that brings together a mixture of both youths and experience from across Africa.

The proposed team also comprises FA Rachael Edward-Dappa of Nigeria who is gunning for the post of vice-president, the current president of the Madagascan Chess Federation, Fide instructor Yves Andre Rakotomaharo who will be the other vice-president and a Tanzanian chess master Nurdin Hassuji, who joins the line up as general secretary.

Ahmed Abdi Hassan, a Somali National will deputise Essoh on the campaign team and brings significant stature as deputy president. Hassan is currently President of the Somali Chess Federation and vice-president of the Somali Olympic Committee.

Mphambela, 45, holds a Bsc Honours Degree in Economics and is an Associate Member of the Institute of Bankers of Zimbabwe and the Financial Markets Association (ACI-UK).

He has held senior management roles in several banking and non-bank financial sector organisations, acquiring both Merchant and Commercial Banking experience over a 25-year career during which he worked for two multinational banks and a diversified insurance and investment firm.

A treasury management and investment specialist, Mphambela is currently the Advocacy and Marketing Executive for the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe where he is the chief spokesperson.

According to Essoh, Mphambela’s strong banking background brings significant financial expertise and business acumen to his ACC team.

Clive is fluent in English and French, which are two of the six official languages recognised by FIDE, the World Chess Federation.

“He brings vast knowledge in sport leadership, having served as team captain and manager of the Zimbabwe Chess Teams at two previous Chess Olympiads. He is recognised as one of the most eminently qualified Arbiters in Zimbabwe and the sub-region and has officiated at numerous international events including the World Chess Olympiad, the World Youth Chess Championship and the African Youth Chess Championships”, said Essoh.

Mphambela, who currently serves as the Vice President of the ZCF, says he is extremely hopeful that his experience in transforming the ZCF will be impactful on the continental board.

“My nomination on the ACC presidential ticket of Dr Essoh Jean Mathieu Claude Essis, has been endorsed by presidents of the Chess Federations of Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana, Madagascar, Somalia, Tanzania, Rwanda as well as the Zimbabwe Chess Federation president, Dr Patrick Mhaka, who has seen it fit for us as Zimbabwe to put our best foot forward and seize the opportunity to influence the future of chess on the African continent. Our campaign team has been finalised with the slogan: Together, We Can!” said Mphambela.

“Our rallying call as a team is anchored on rebuilding the African Chess Confederation so that it becomes politically and financially independent from any individual leader or camp in the World Chess Federation.”

 

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