The annual Karonga-Chitipa Cultural Festival, which was expected to start on Friday, has been shifted to next month.
The festival, to be held at Mbande Hills in Karonga District, will now start on November 1 and end on November 2.
Mzuzu Karonga-Chitipa Heritage Chairperson Happy Mugala confirmed the development when he was receiving K1 million support from Chibuku Brewery towards the cultural event.
Mugala, who disclosed that the heritage was still raising about K50 million towards the budget, said chiefs made the decision to shift the festival after observing that preparations were not 100 percent done.
“We would like to apologise to the people for the 11th hour change,” he said. Mugala then hailed Chibuku Brewery for what he described as a timely donation of K1 million.
“The K1 million will help us because we still need more resources to execute a perfect event. We will receive many visitors who will need food, accommodation and other logistical arrangements. All of these will need money,” he said.
He then encouraged people from Chitipa and Karonga to continue supporting the event, saying it helps to unite them and teach young people cultural values.
Mzuzu Chibuku Brewery Operations Manager Patrick Dzanja said the company values cultural festivals, saying apart from promoting tourism, they help in promoting and preserving culture as well as uniting the nation.
“As the people’s company, which directly works with farmers from the field to the throat, we would not keep watching our people without supporting their event.
Remember, we buy maize from the same farmers for our products and we are supposed to give back to them,” Dzanja said.
This year’s Karonga-Chitipa Cultural Festival will be celebrated under the theme ‘Unity in Diversity’.
Some of the activities set to take centre stage include traditional dances such as mwinoghe.
People will also appreciate the beauty of languages from the two districts as well as enjoy local foods. Mtemi Gwa Batemi Kyungu XXIV (24) is expected to preside over the festival.
