Karate Clubs in Kakamega have appealed to the County government to include the sport in the Governor’s Annual Cup tournament to help nurture talents and identify others.
The Secretary General of Kakamega County Karate Association, Christopher Ouma, who is also a referee with the Kenya Karate Federation said Karate is growing in popularity in the county, with many people including youngsters showing great interest.
He said, including the sport in the Governor’s cup will enable the clubs to popularize the sport and get many Karateka who can compete both Nationally and at International competitions.
Ouma also urged residents of Kakamega to join Karate which is just like any other sport.
The available Karate clubs in Kakamega include Masinde Muliro University, Sigalagala National Polytechnic, Kakamega Karate Club, Imbale Karate club in Mbale Secondary school, Musingu Secondary school Karate club, another one in Mumias and Lugari Sub Counties.
He says that Karatee does not require too much space, only space in a hall and a Tatami, which is a mat where to play from to minimize incidences of injuries to the players.
The Chairman of Kakamega County Karate Club Wilson Mutende said they are on course to ensure that Karateka’s in Kakamega County Karate clubs get better training and bring stakeholders on board to help improve the sport.
He asked the county government’s County Executive Committee Member in charge of Sports Mophat Mandela to support the Karate Clubs in the county with training equipment, sportswear and other logistics to make the sport vibrant.
“In terms of equipment, we have those called handmitts, which we put on in our palms, there are those mats which we don’t have, they are called the Tatami. We need the mats so that we can train when we are comfortable to avoid cases of injuries, we also need uniforms and protective gear,” he added.
He noted that through the sport, the clubs are engaging the youth and training them on life skills and helping to stop drugs and substance abuse.
Western Region Karate Association Commissioner George Alexander Mulama said the association is actively doing a recruitment drive for Karateka’s from the grassroots, in both primary, secondary schools and in colleges.
He noted that Karate does not have age limits, with available categories for the young, middle and the old ages.
A Karate trainer at the Kakamega County Karate Club, Musungu Ngaira said that Kakamega County Karatee club has recorded great achievements in recent competitions.
He said that, in 2019, during the Inter-counties competitions in Nakuru, Kakamega county emerged the winners under the Ladies category.
“Still in 2019, during the African Karate Championships in Rwanda, Kakamega County Karate club’s Nelson Ligami, was among the Karateka’s who represented Kenya in the championships,” he added.
However, Ngaira says that the biggest challenge the Karate Clubs of Kakamega face is that some people still perceive Karate as a Foreign sport.
“As teachers we want to domesticate it.We want every household and in every family to have a Karateka just like in football, where we have footballers almost in every household,” he added.
The Karatekas also encouraged ladies to take part in the sport, which just like any other sport in the country, improves one’s keenness, keeps fit and helps a person to develop courage.
By Moses Wekesa
