By George Bulombola
Mzimba, August 3, Mana: Paramount Chief M’mbelwa V has appealed to politicians and the citizenry to ensure that there is peace and unity during campaign towards the 2025 general elections.
He was speaking Saturday at Hora Heritage Centre in Mzimba during Umthetho Cultural Ceremony and commemoration of the 10th anniversary of his throne.
He called upon everyone in the country to joyously safeguard peace which the nation is currently enjoying.
“I am afraid that we would, in future, regret to have lost this peace because of the manner some politicians and some members of the public conduct themselves during political campaign.
“Let me advise that the campaign should be issue based and noone should use provocative statements,” said Paramount M’mbelwa adding that he knows President Dr Lazarus Chakwera as a peace loving leader who promotes descent politics.
He commended President Chakwera for promoting co-existence of different tribes and cultures as evidenced by his presence at cultural ceremonies.
He said the President’s availability at such functions goes a long way in cementing working partnership with traditional leaders and government.
“It seems we are resuscitating our culture which we were about to lose a few years ago as young people used to embrace borrowed culture.
“The ceremony’s theme is blended to intertwine culture and climate change which has resulted into environmental degradation. We will do our best to civic educate people on the importance of conserving the environment,” he said.
The ceremony was held under the theme ‘Uniting Against Climate Change Under the Decade of His Majesty M’mbelwa V.
He linked culture to tourism saying culture can contribute to the Agriculture, Tourism and Mining (ATM) Strategy hence called government to consider aligning culture to Ministry of Tourism.
Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda, appealed to all stakeholders, including chiefs, to be in the forefront in promoting peace and unity for continued and sustainable development of the country.
President Chakwera graced the occasion. Other guests included Queen Masesi Nomzano Fortunate Nieny of South Africa, senior government officials and Ngoni chiefs from within the country and across the borders.
