19 Feb 2015

Chairperson of the Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) interim committee is assertive that eternal peace will soon prevail despite the darkness that befell the local karate governing body towards the end of last year.

Sensei David Mathe made this assurance in their first consultative meeting with members of the press since being summoned to the provisional office last month in a special general meeting.

BOKA was engaged in bitter internal feuds which were seen as being the centre of the rot which rocked the executive committee members leading to the resignation of four members including its president sensei Tshepho Bathai.

Factional divisions and embezzlement of funds were fingered as some of the challenges bedeviling the organisation. 

The wrangles triggered the establishment of a commission of inquiry by the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) board and they presented their findings at the end of last month

Now sensei Mathe is adamant that all is well as his committee is all fired up to meet their mandate and terms of reference. 

Amongst others, the committee is charged with providing a programme of activities, organising an elective special congress and lastly to initiate a review of the BOKA constitution.

However, efforts to review the constitution had already gathered pace since the reigns of ousted president Millionaire Masumbika. The special meeting is penciled for the last week of March where a new committee is expected to be ushered into office.

Programs Coordinator, sensei Mpho Bakwadi gave a brief account on the forthcoming pre selection tournaments. 

On Saturday (21st February) senior karatekas will battle it out in a three match tournament that will finally present a representative for the Zone VI championships to be hosted in Durban.

The junior and cadet will on the last week of February take place in a final match to be played in Gaborone. Bakwadi will also have a meeting with referees to brief them on new rules and regulations as espoused by the World Karate Federation (WKF).

Despite a lengthy spell of inactivity, the Botswana team is expected to take part in the Zone VI tournament which has been seen as a build up to the closely contested All Africa Games which are penciled for September in Congo Brazzaville.

Secretary General of BOKA interim committee Montshwari Motlogelwa noted that they have submitted a proposal to the BNSC with regards to Zone VI.  ENDS