New executive appointments for Karate Union

Sport
by our staffTHE Zimbabwe Karate Union (ZKU) has appointed a marketing executive, technical board member, a referees commissioner and ex-officio Athletes Commission representative into the national executive to enhance the administration of the sport.

ZKU President, Joe Rugwete said the new appointments were in line with the national executive drive to turn the union into a professional entity.Local Businessman George Swarres has been appointed marketing executive. Swarres was once appointed marketing officer for the Zone IV organising committee (Harare province) during the 2010 Championships.

Eugene Moody, a veteran fighter and coach, has been appointed into the technical board to assist the coaches in Kata (sequential demonstrations and imaginary fighting used for training and competition).

David Dube was appointed an ex-officio member into the national executive to represent the interests of semi-contact karatekas while George Mutambu was also appointed ex-officio member responsible for full contact karatekas. These two appointments were made to add the voice of karate practitioners from the grassroots level to the national executive.

Joe Rugwete, who was appointed head of the Referees Commission (Semi-Contact) following the course he attended in Maputo last year, will step down from that post having been elected as president of the union early this year. This has further necessitated the formation of a long overdue Referees Commission, which will be made up of veteran karatekas from different provinces.

Members of this commission include Ndabezinhle Mazibuko (Matabeleland), Simba Chikutu, Simba Mazhata, Tinyiko Halimani,  Joshua Kumire, Innocent Bizalieli, Douglas Chivandire,  Martin Chimombe (all Harare), Andrew Musiiwa (Masvingo), Musa Chinunga, Byron Ndiripo (both Mashonaland West), Amos Chihlava, Lloyd Mukucha and Shepherd Ziwira (Midlands).

A number of local courses will be lined up with a team set to be sent to Pretoria in May 2012 for training for the upcoming Zone 6 Championships. If funds permit, they will also be sent for further training in preparation for the Africa Cup Championships in Morocco later this year and the World Championships in Paris at the end of the year.