Friends and relatives gathered on Wednesday at Kileleshwa Community Church for a memorial service for the late national team chess player Hawi Kaloki.It was an emotional moment for those gathered at the venue as they paid glowing tribute to Hawi, who passed away on August 10.##NAJAVA_MECA_9901531##Speaker after speaker paid tribute to the 19-year-old, who was one of the country’s top chess players at the time of his death.Mavens Chess Club founder Tom Amwai, in his tribute, said Hawi had been an excellent player during his time at the club.“He helped the club to be promoted to the top-tier league, and for this we are extremely grateful,” he said.STARS ABROAD: Two Kenyans feature for English clubs in midweek actionKCB teammate Bella Nashipae described Hawi as a supportive teammate who always saw the best in others.Hawi’s younger sister, Zuri Kaloki, was overcome with emotion as she eulogised her brother.“Life will never be the same without you, Hawi,” she said amid sobs.Hawi’s mother, Maureen Akinyi Perdue, recalled how, at just 18 months old, her son insisted on starting school and later got into trouble with the school administration.Amonde rules out legal action after KRU terminates Shujaa role“There was this time when he was expelled from school because he chose to go and take part in the Mombasa Open Chess Tournament.Even when the ‘O’ Level results came out, he was the best candidate in Kenya in Mathematics and Sciences. Although the school called us to receive a prize from the examining body, we still felt that he had been treated unfairly. That incident showed Hawi’s resilient nature and ability to bounce back,” she said.Robert Ouko from Brookside International said Hawi was an exceptional student who rose to become the school president in 2023–2024.“He led the school to win plenty of medals during the World Scholars competition. He left too soon,” said Ouko.TACTICAL ANALYSIS; Inside Nairobi United's midfield acquisition Brian MusaHawi was a multiple-time national champion and one of Kenya’s most highly rated chess players. In 2024, he became Kenya’s No. 1 player, having established himself among the country’s elite players with a rating exceeding 2100.He was due to represent Kenya at the upcoming World Chess Olympiad, scheduled to take place from September 15, 2026. His most recent international appearance was as a member of the Kenyan national team at the Africa Individual Chess Championship in Botswana.From Nakuru to Europe: Stephen Yiembe’s remarkable UEFA Super Cup journeyThroughout his career, Hawi represented Kenya with distinction on numerous international stages. His accomplishments included participation in the World Junior Chess Championship in Brazil, the World Youth Chess Championships in Albania in 2025 and Brazil in 2024, as well as several editions of the Africa Youth Chess Championships, where he competed as a reigning national champion.At club level, Hawi was a valued member of the KCB Chess Team in the Kenya National Chess Premier League and a cherished member of Mavens Chess Club. His contribution to the teams he represented and to Kenyan chess as a whole will be remembered with great appreciation.What Abud Omar wants Kenyan football to borrow from rugby
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