Kirinyaga County’s Patrick Nderitu Gitonga pipped Allan Oyende to claim second leg of Scrabble Kenya championships hosted at Jumuia Hotel over the weekend in Kisumu as eight year old Dhara Shah became the youngest player in the tournament.
The second seed player Gitonga who finished third in the opening day defeated first day winner Oyende as Word Warriors, the national scrabble team prepares to take on fellow East, Central and Southern Africa Scrabble (ECASA) Championships in Zambia come April.
With title defending champion Philip Edwin Mugisha from Uganda in line-up, Nderitu played 5 games with his long-time rival, Oyende, Nderitu came from the loss to win with 14 wins +735.
“I would love to see more young people playing this game and we should encourage more participants in division B and C. The Youth are our future.” said the champ.
Gitonga beat Oyende 441-421 in what was arguably the most intense game of the tournament with Oyende getting 3 wins +1001 ahead of team mate Bernard Koyyoko taking third place with 12 +784.
In the Intermediate Division, Ayub Zande of Kitale, Trans Nzoia County won the title 15 +739, with Steve Amwai of Busia County emerging 2nd. Daniel Machanje that had the overnight lead, came in third.
In the Open Division, Jonathan Wafula maintained a convincing lead throughout the competition and won the debut C cup. Caroline Muya was 2nd as Joan Wangari closed the podium.