Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
LOCAL karatekas have described the late former Zimbabwe Karate Union national technical director for full contact Tendayi Mutikani as a unifier whose contribution made a difference to the sport.
Mutikani passed away on Monday after a short illness and was buried on Wednesday at Warren Hills Cemetery in Harare. He was 57.
Mutikani was one of the top instructors and referees in the country and played a role in the growth of karate’s kyokushin style.
Some of the top local fighters he worked with such as Shihan Tawanda Mufundisi said Mutikani’s untimely death has robbed them of a dedicated teacher and leader.
“It’s a huge loss as he was a unifier, brother, top instructor and the gap he has left is difficult to fill. He was my childhood teacher together with Shihan Tendai Marange and Farai “Ninja” Maniwa. Those are the fathers of kyokushin in this country.
“He started karate in the 1970s and by then there wasn’t much in terms of karate . . . He trained the likes of Shihan Marange, Sensei Farai Maniwa, Sensei Regis Bhunu and Sensei Edward Veremu, to mention but a few.
“In the early 1980s he went on to train ZRP team with Sensei Marange and Sensei Maniwa before kyokushin was really introduced to the country. They were the guys that drove it, the first generation of kyokushin karate and they groomed us, I mean the likes of myself and Sensei Thomas Chiwomba,” Mufundisi said.
Mufundisi, who is now the International Karate Organisation Nakamura Branch Chief and the country’s representative, said coming from the same neighbourhood with Mutikani, they remained close until his death. “Sensei Mutikani is the one who opened the Kambuzuma dojo, the one that we are running now . . . Being from Kambuzuma himself, he was an elder, our mentor, our father, our karate instructor. He was born and bred in Kambuzuma, so is me and Sensei Thomas.
“So we kept this bondage until his demise. May His Soul Rest in Eternal Peace,” said Mufundisi.
Chiwomba, who also worked closely with Mutikani, said he was passionate about the sport and groomed several fighters locally who went on to excel at various levels.
“Tendayi’s lifelong passion was karate. He started his karate career in Mufakose under the tutorship of the late Kimpton Gutsa in the 1970s where he trained among Shihan Veremu.
“He opened Kambuzuma dojo in Kambuzuma grooming the likes of Shihan Tawanda Mufundisi and me. He also trained most of the senior karate instructors now. He was the chief referee for Zimbabwe Karate Union.
“Sensei Mutikani was an international referee and was also a member of the Zimbabwe Karate Union technical team. He was a technical advisor for full contact karate.
“He was well known in his community as a humble, gentle and friendly person. Because of his outstanding qualities in the karate fraternity he attained the nickname “Master”.
“He is survived by his wife Mati and son Luther,” said Chiwomba.
ZKU president Paul Danisa described Mutikani as one of the best karate instructors in the country and added that he contributed to the growth of the sport.
“The man was from the original full contact group that would also take part and excel in semi-contact events alongside the likes of Tendai Marange, Regis Bunu and Edward Veremu, the Elias brothers Emmanuel and the late Gabriel.
“He was the first national technical director for full contact back in 2012 until 2016 when he stepped down due to ill health. He was very experienced, very mature, a mentor to many, logical and forward thinking.
“A beacon of discipline and professionalism. One of the best full contact referees of all time. Always punctual for tournaments and meetings, very organised and fair temperament,” said Danisa.
The post Karate guru Mutikani mourned appeared first on Zimbabwe Today.