Eldoret, Kenya — Uganda’s Ceasar Chandiga, known across the continent as “The Scorpion,” reclaimed his status as one of Africa’s fiercest pool contenders after a blistering performance at the inaugural TIMBA-XO Africa Super 9 Competition, held in Eldoret just days after the main TIMBA-XO tournament.
Unlike the broader open tournament, the Super 9 Comp was an elite-only event , reserved for the crème de la crème of African cue sports. It featured only the top-ranked players from the continent, setting the stage for intense, high-stakes battles between pool giants.
After a painful early exit in the main TIMBA-XO International Pool Tournament, where he was knocked out by Kenya’s little-known Brian Kiptalam in a ninth-frame decider, the Ugandan pool star returned with a vengeance.
However, in a surprising turn of events, Uganda’s top seed, Joseph Kasozi, delivered a crushing 9–0 defeat to Kiptalam, a result many saw as revenge for his teammate, Ceasar.
Marching through the knockout stages,TIMBA-XO Africa Super 9 Competition, Ceasar eventually faced Zimbabwe’s Kevin Nkandu in the final after dispatching heavyweights including South Africa’s Jeremiah Naidoo, a.k.a. “Jerry Ganda Ganda”, with a dominant 9:3 win.
In the Super 9 final, Ceasar was untouchable. With tactical precision and lethal breaks, he outclassed Nkandu 9:2 in what seemed like a one-sided affair, reclaiming bragging rights and proving he’s far from done at the top level.
Money match
The drama didn’t end with the trophy. In a sponsored money match, Ceasar took on South Africa’s Eden Joseph in a race to 13. The stakes were high, and so was the pressure. But the Scorpion delivered another stunner, demolishing the revered Eden 13:3 in front of a roaring crowd.
Another headline money match saw Uganda’s Seed no.1Joseph Kasozi square off with Naidoo in a fiery race to 13. This time, Naidoo had the edge, defeating Kasozi and walking away with a cool $1,800 prize.
As the dust settles in Eldoret, one thing is clear: African pool is entering a golden age, rich with rivalries, raw talent, and rising stars. Whether it’s Chimbwanda’s underdog fairytale, Mukiisa’s coming-of-age story, TIMBA-XO has become the battleground where legacies are written.
We now look ahead to another major tournament set to take place in Tanzania this year, where all eyes will be on the top players to see how they respond after being knocked out and upstaged by lesser-known competitors main TIMBA-XO main tournament.
