…targets the grassroots for sustained growth
Moroke Sekoboto
THE newly inaugurated Chess Federation of Lesotho (CFL) executive committee has unveiled its five-year strategic plan which seeks to use chess as a national instrument for education, empowerment and social impact.
The committee, which took over in August, renewed CFL’s strategic commitment to national transformation through chess.
Speaking at the inaugural media engagement at the Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission (LSRC) premises on Monday, CFL President, Moshe Mokone, said they are going to develop chess at grassroots level by introducing it at primary school level to increase the pool of chess players in the country.
Mokone said they will capacitate teachers with skills to guide students on how to play chess.
“We are going to develop chess at grassroots level. We are going to introduce the sport in primary schools. By the end of our tenure in 2030, we will have chess in at least 60 primary schools, thereby increasing the pool of chess players in the country,” Mokone said.
“We need to capacitate teachers, both in primary and high school, to assist the students to understand chess. We will also rate the juniors to gauge their strength. By 2030 we will have at least 35 rated junior players,” Mokone said.
Mokone added that they will prioritise chess clubs by supporting those already existing and forming new ones to enhance the growth of the sporting code.
He added that they will improve communication to ensure the survival and sustainability of the chess clubs.
“We are going to revise the prize money in national championships, improve the standards of our tournaments, capacitate the tournaments organisers and improve governance by decentralising power to regional sub-committees,” Mokone said.
Mokone urged sponsors and the government to invest in chess, highlighting its potential to put Lesotho on the global map.
During the same briefing, the CFL also welcomed and celebrated two youth players who represented Lesotho at the 2025 African Youth Chess Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The tournament took place from 6 December and to 14 December 2025.
CFL Secretary General, Monaheng Motlomelo, said this was the first time Lesotho participated in the continental contest after a 10-year break.
However, in that period Lesotho had kept competing in the Chess Olympiad, including the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, where the country clinched nine chess titles, the largest number ever accrued from an Olympiad tournament by Lesotho.
“Lesotho’s top female junior player, Bonolo Ntsielo, impressed by placing 5th overall with 5.5 points out of 9, despite facing experienced opponents. Mohale Mokhameleli, a novice in international tournaments, also performed well, scoring 5.5 points and ranking 13th of 48,” Motlomelo said of the Harare event.
Motlomelo emphasised that the African championship aims to help African countries earn titles and assess their performance before international competitions. The tournament featured 547 players from 18 countries, with Kenya and South Africa having over 100 players.
Kenya emerged as the overall winner, with their success attributed to a decade-long investment in chess development.
