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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
CONTROVERSY is brewing in the Zimbabwe Karate Union after the association once again shelved their elective congress with the Paul Danisa leadership offering flimsy excuses for postponing the annual meeting. The ZKU meeting should have been held in February but, in the last four months, the union have been using one excuse after another, including the need to wait for government to outline a national sports policy, to postpone the indaba.

Interestingly, the Sports Commission, who have been stalking ZIFA, have been keeping their distance from the ZKU challenges.

In the latest postponement, elections which had been rescheduled for Prince Edward School today have now been moved to July 14.

But, if the rate at which the ZKU have been shelving their annual meeting is anything to go by, there is no guarantee that it will take place on the new date.

In their latest communication, the ZKU cited the need to make some constitutional amendments as the reason for postponing the elections.

Some of the amendments that have been proposed include appointment of the national executive office bearers under Section 7, where the union has indicated that in line with the National Sports Policy, all aspiring office bearers must have at least five O’ Levels.

ZKU secretary-general Steven Charandura confirmed the postponement of the meeting.
“We have moved them to 14 July because we want our constituency to go through the amendments then we map the way forward.

“We want to get feedback from people and it’s starting to come in.
“What we did is we had seminars and conferences with the Sport and Recreation Commission, then we submitted our proposal for amendments,” said Charandura.

Charandura conceded the process is now taking long but noted that it’s key that they address the issues.
But former ZKU president Joe Rugwete has expressed concern with the direction the union, voted the best administered association in 2016, is taking.

“Your s7.1.1 makes reference to the National Sports Policy. My view is that we should not align our constitution to a document that may change. The National Sports Policy can change due to changes in SRC Board, Minister of Sport or ruling party.

“We may pick what we want from the National Sports Policy, but I don’t think we should make reference to it. I also think the majority of our members have not seen the National Sports Policy being referred to.

“I also think it is not right to make a constitutional provision that aspiring office bearers should be (in) possession of an SRC or ZOC issued Sports Administration Course or equivalent.

“This clause will shut out many prospective office bearers as the Sports Administration courses are not common and are usually for people that have already been elected or appointed as office bearers.

“And so the clause can be seen as an effort to shut out aspiring office bearers who have never been elected/voted into office prior. That’s an exclusionary clause in my opinion.

“Your s7.1.3 has a good intention, but most people acquire skill through investing in their qualifications and expect a return on their investment. I am not sure how easy it will be to find skilled people to volunteer to be SG (secretary-general) or treasurer.

‘’Also, I think you may need to be specific on the skills set or rather lay a minimum qualification,” read part of Rugwete’s letter to the ZKU.