No party colours at Umthetho Cultural Festival—Mzimba Heritage Association

* It starts on Friday and climaxes on Saturday, August 3 with the presence of President Lazarus Chakwera

* To be celebrated under the theme; ‘Uniting against Climate Change under the Decade of His Majesty M’mbelwa V’

By Joel Phiri, MANA

General Secretary for Mzimba Heritage Association (MZIHA), Kingsley Jere has asked people who will attend this year’s Umthetho Cultural Festival at Hora in the district not to put on any party colours as it is not a party function but a celebration of culture.

This year’s Umthetho Festival — to be graced by President Lazarus Chakwera on Saturday, August 3 — will be celebrated under the theme; ‘Uniting against Climate Change under the Decade of His Majesty M’mbelwa V’.

In an interview on Monday ahead of the festival, which starts on Friday, and reaches its climax on Saturday, Jere said to dignify the function there is a need to celebrate diversity.

“This is a cultural function to be attended by people from all walks of life,” he said. “So, we don’t expect people coming to attend the festival to put on colours that reflect their political parties. Let people wear Zikumba or our clothes bearing the logo of Umthetho.”

This year’s festival will attract the presence of King MisuZulu ka Zwelithini of Zulu nation in South Africa, who will be accompanied by izinduna, amakhosi and some South African government officials.

Apart from Zulu people, Ngonis from Zambia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe are also expected to attend the event — thus Jere emphasizing that those who will wear party clothes to the festival will be returned or forced to change clothes.

Jere has also called upon business people to use the festival to sell their merchandise, saying: “Umtheto Festival is a big platform for business as it brings many people to one place — hence we call upon business people to trade their wares during the festival.

“There will be multitudes of people and any businessman should maximise on the people to make extra bucks,” he said.

Meanwhile preparations for the hosting of the events are at an advanced level. A visit to the place by this reporter on Friday found graders working on rehabilitating the roads leading to the venue of the festival.

While there had been no electricity before, the Malawi Rural Electrification (MAREP) technicians have installed a transformer at the site to ensure the venue and the area surrounding Hora Mountain have lights.

The festival, led by Inkosi ya Makhosi Mmbelwa V, will feature traditional Ingoma dances, meat feasts and beer celebrations.