The Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) is expected to meet this week to try and thrash out problems at its affiliate member, Ryushin Kan Karate Do Botswana (RIKBO). Ryushin Kan Botswana is alleged to have expelled Andrew Dobolo, its chief instructor and founding member in Botswana.
Speaking in an interview with The Sunday Standard, BOKA Secretary General, Ezekiel Seru, said they are yet to hear from Ryushin Kan Botswana why Dobolo has been expelled from the style he introduced to Botswana six years ago.
“At this moment, we cannot comment on the issue as we are yet to receive an official letter from Ryushin Kan Botswana. However, we will have a meeting as the BOKA Executive to discuss the latest developments at the club. We will then have a meeting with Ryushin Kan Botswana and only after then will we be able to discuss the issue with the media and the public,” Seru said.
Efforts to seek clarification from Ryushin Kan Botswana proved futile as its Public Relations Officer declined to comment, saying we should get all details from the ‘source’ that initially told us about the issue.
While BOKA and Ryushin Kan Botswana declined to comment, information from sources close to the issue said the banishment of Dobolo follows his expulsion from the Ryushin Kan International Karate Do Africa. The Ryushin Kan’s Africa body expelled Dobolo from its membership in March this year, leaving the style without a representative in Botswana.
In a letter sent to BOKA president, Million Masumbika, by Ryushin Kan International Karate Do Africa liaison Officer, Mario Boer, and dated 19th March 2013, Dobolo is declared to no longer be the style’s representative.
“It is with sadness that I have to inform you that Sensei Andrew Dobolo is no longer our representative in Botswana, because he is not affiliated to our organization,” the letter reads.
“We currently don’t have any affiliated member in Botswana. We are busy addressing the matter with instructors in Botswana.”
The letter says that Ryushin Kan Africa will be expected to name its representative to Botswana very soon.
The expulsion of Dobolo is said to be a culmination of maladministration and leadership squabbles that have besieged the style for a while now. According to sources, Dobolo was expelled from the Africa body for failing to pay affiliation fees, something which culminated in the termination of Botswana Ryushin Kan’s affiliation. Ever since coming into being, Ryushin Kan has been in and out of controversy.
Just last year in March, Dobolo and his entire executive committee were expelled from BOKA for maladministration related issues. Though the issue was later resolved, the essence of the matter then was that they (RIKBO) had to produce proof to BOKA that they are doing things accordingly as well as to furnish the local karate mother body with further proof as to how they are using funds allocated to them by BOKA. RIKBO had also failed to convene an emergency leadership meeting to solve their internal squabbles as directed by BOKA.
