By Zenak Matekenya

Karonga, October 29, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera and Vice President Saulos Chilima on Saturday joined people from all walks of life on the foot of Mbande Hills in Karonga to celebrate Karonga Chitipa Cultural Heritage Ceremony.

Speaking during the ceremony, Chakwera urged Malawians to embrace peace and unity regardless of their different tribal and cultural backgrounds.

The President said national unity does not mean denouncing or faulting other people based on their tribal and cultural affiliations, but rather demonstrating love, care and correcting each other in the right manner.

“I appoint and work with officials from different cultural backgrounds for the sake of social economic development of each and every Malawian including those who did not vote for me. I also respect opinions from every one as opinion expression is e right,” said Chakwera.

He also said he recognizes and respects all positive contributions by all former Presidents of the country hence his government’s commitment towards completing projects which were initiated by the previous regimes.

Chakwera expressed concern over some Malawians who castigate him for his foreign trips to seek assistance from other countries and organisations saying such a conduct scares away donors and investors thereby impacting negatively on poor Malawians.

He also expressed concern over some Malawians who smuggle maize and other raw farm products to neighboring countries under the pretext of his name and that they have the right to do so because they are Malawi Congress Party (MCP) followers.

“MCP and myself as the President of this country cannot condole that and therefore I urge law enforcing agencies to be arresting such people and ensure the law takes its course,” he said.

He also preached against mob justice common among elderly people who are accused of allegedly practicing witchcraft besides commending Paramount Chief Kyungu for hosting the event which he said is important not for people of Chitipa and Karonga only but the country as whole as such functions promotion national unity.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Prof. Blessings Chinsinga said cultural events are an important to a nation as they are a tool for assessing cultural merits and demerits for the country’s development.

“Through cultural events, government and stakeholders are able to measure the past and present trends and predict the future.

I therefore applaud the President for promoting different tribal cultures in the country by availing himself at such cultural activities,” said Chinsinga.

Paramount Chief Kyungu said Malawi is called the Warm Heart of Africa because despite its culture diversity, its people are always united.

Chitipa – Karonga Cultural Heritage which organized the ceremony was launched in 2016 in Chitipa with the aim of fostering development, preserving culture and norms for people of the two districts.

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