05 Aug 2025

 Ghanzi based Karate Club has been applauded for its efforts in empowering the youth through sport.

Speaking during the Karate grading event over the weekend, Ghanzi District Council deputy chairperson, Xukuri Xukuri said the empowerment would help the athletes develop essential karate skills, build confidence and promote social and emotional development. After a year following their formation in 2019, Xukuri said the club showed tremendous determination and growth at its maiden appearance in the Jwaneng open karate tournament, where it performed exceptionally, as it brought home four Gold, seven Silver medals and 13 Bronze medals respectively. He acknowledged Tau Grading and Lemcke Ranches for supporting the club through sponsorship since its establishment.

Therefore, Xukuri appealed to more sponsors to come on board, as doing so would enhance growth of the club and also afford them the opportunity to host its first open karate tournament scheduled for 2026. He assured the club management support from Council. Xukuri said the local authority had pledged to support sport development in the district.

Sensei Nonofo Keokilwe also praised Ghanzi community for supporting his endeavour in establishing the karate club. He implored Karatekas to always display commitment and embark on intensive practice so as to pave way for higher grading.

Giving a word of encouragement, Botswana athletics sensation and current 200m Olympic Champion, Letsile Tebogo, commended the establishment of Karate sport in the district. Letsile said he was also orchestrating a plan to set up community athletics clubs from grassroots level across the country. He however, implored the Karatekas to work hard and show commitment as well as luring more participation for the sporting code to gain its significance.

Botswana Karate Association (BOKA), President Shihan Mpho Bakwadi, lauded Ghanzi Karate Club for being recognised as a Re Ba Bona Ha (RBBH) affiliate. Shihan Bakwadi said the recognition would afford the club an opportunity to be supported with full training equipment to enhance grass roots development.

However, he declared that the official launch of the club as an RBBH affiliate would follow soon in partnership with Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC). Shihan Bakwadi emphasised that the ultimate aim of karate rested in the sense of offering protection.

“Karate is not a tool for violence, it is an art of self-defence and self-mastering,” he cautioned.

Shihan Bakwadi further implored Karatekas to maintain the fundamentals of Karate as well as master the necessary basics that would afford them excellence. He also encouraged them to safe guard against gender-based violence (GBV) by strongly condemn any form of GBV at all costs in their sporting field. The event saw 33 Karatekas getting various grades; 20 grading to yellow stripe, two each getting the grade of blue, green and orange belts respectively, while the other seven got the yellow belt grading. ENDS