By Joel Phiri
President Dr Lazarus Chakwera says his government is willing and fully committed to supporting cultural festivals such as Umthetho as they hold key in promoting tourism and unity in the country.
Speaking at this year’s Umthetho Cultural Festival on Saturday at Hora in Mzimba, Chakwera said his government has come up with the ATM strategy as a means of promoting industries of Agriculture, Tourism and Mining.
“In our pursuit to achieve the Malawi 2063, my government has, among others, come up with the ATM strategy in order to promote industrialisation and spur employment.
“Events like Umthetho Cultural Festival are at the heart of tourism hence we are fully committed, as government, to supporting such events because they help promote tourism,” he said.
The President said his government values the cordial relations that exist between traditional chiefs and government, stressing that issues of development and unity are promoted by chiefs as custodians of culture.
He hailed Umthetho Heritage Association (Mziha) for preserving natural resources saying Malawi has suffered a lot recently because of effects of climate change hence the need to protect the environment.
In his remarks, Inkosi Ya Makhosi M’mbelwa V said there is need to develop Hora Heritage Centre into a top tourism site so that many foreigners continue coming to the site.
“Tourism is a goldmine but that can be achieved if places such as Hora Heritage Centre are well developed. We, therefore, appeal to government to join us in making such places attractive to the outside world,” he said.
Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda, said government has always been ready to assist cultural events regardless of tribe.
“Cultural events are a platform for promoting culture and oneness as shown by how people from various countries and places have come to attend this event. So, we need to promote such events,’ said Chimwendo.
The 2024 edition of Umthetho was celebrated under the theme ‘Uniting against climate change’s under the 10-year reign of Inkosi Ya Makhosi V.
