Mulhako wa Alhomwe 2026 fundraising dinner chairperson, Grant Chikweza
* Proceeds from the event will finance the October festival and support community programmes targeting the elderly and girls’ education
By Patience Longwe, Malawi News Agency (MANA)
In preparation for the Mulhako wa Alhomwe Festival to be held on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at Chonde Culture Heritage Centre, the Cultural Heritage’s Board of Trustees will host a fundraising dinner on July 4 at Sunbird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe, targeting to raise K300 million for this years celebration.
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At a press briefing on Wednesday at Edge Water Court in Lilongwe, chairperson for the Mulhako wa Alhomwe 2026 fundraising dinner, Grant Chikweza, said proceeds from the event will finance the October festival and support community programmes targeting the elderly and girls’ education.
Chikweza added that the dinner will feature cultural dances, Lhomwe cuisine, launch the official Mulhako wa Alhomwe website and the sale of traditional products such as Gondolosi.
Chikweza appealed to members of the Lhomwe community to support the initiative, noting that the cultural grouping does not receive government funding.
He further called on people from other cultural groups to attend the fundraising dinner, saying the event is meant to promote unity in celebrating the country rich heritage.
“Out of the initial 200 tickets printed, 50 have already been sold,” he said. “Due to rising demand, the committee has added another 200 tickets, bringing the total to 400.”
Chikweza added that the tickets are available in four categories — Standard at K250,000; Gold at K350,000; Platinum at K2.5 million; and Corporate at K10 million.
The chairperson was accompanied by trustee, Jubeki Muonjeza, Chifundo Dimasi, who is the catering coordinator for the Mulhako wa Alhomwe 2026 Festival.
When announcing the date of the Festival in April, Board chairperson, Muchanakhwaye Mpuluka — who is guest of honour at the fundraising dinner — emphasised that the annual Festival at Chonde Culture Heritage Centre is a boisterous moment that celebrates the Lhomwe tribe’s “tangible and intangible cultural heritage”.
The event, that attracts thousands of people across the country — which include representatives from various cultural heritages in Malawi and neighbouring countries — also celebrates the Lhomwe history through celebration of rituals, customs, traditional dances, songs and folklore.
It also includes art exhibitions that showcases cultural dressing, pottery, craftsmanship, warfare, traditional cuisine and medicine.
Meanwhile, Mpuluka also announced in April that in affirming the Cultural Heritage’s “commitment to promote women and gender empowerment as it pursues the MW2063 national vision through cultural preservation”, the Board appointed Trustee Ayaya Eunice Napolo as the 2026 Cultural Festival’s organising committee chairperson.—Editing by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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