By Eric Msikiti, Gift Sitima & Ronald Mpaso:
All is set for Umthetho Cultural Festival, to be held at Hora Mountain in Mzimba District this weekend, with several activities set to take centre stage.
The annual festival, to be graced by President Lazarus Chakwera, is organised by Mzimba Heritage Association (Mziha), which recently revealed that it had doubled up the budget for the festival from K78 million to K156 million.
The festival takes place on August 3.
The association’s secretary general Kingsley Jere said they are looking forward to the best of the festival with more visitors set to grace the event.
Some of the guests will come from Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya, among other countries.
Meanwhile ahead of the festival, FDH bank has handed over K15 million in financial assistance towards Umthetho.
Speaking after handing over the cheque to the event’s fund-raising committee in Blantyre, on Wednesday, FDH Head of Marketing Levie Nkunika said as a homegrown bank, they appreciate the importance of promoting cultural heritage as an integral part to national development.
On his part, a member of the organising committee Sangwani Hara hailed the assistance saying it will help the committee meet its financial obligations.
“This year’s festival is special as we will also be celebrating the 10th Anniversary of His Royal Majesty Inkosi, ya Makosi Mmbelwa V, so the bank’s contribution of K15 million show that it cares for its communities,” Hara said.
In a related development Chibuku Products Limited has donated K1.5 million towards the festival.
This is the company’s second gesture after their Mzuzu branch also made a donation of K500, 000 towards the festival.
Speaking in Blantyre when presenting the cheque, the company’s Managing Director, Gerald Bowler emphasised the company’s dedication to promoting cultural diversity and unity.
In Lilongwe, Civo Stadium will host the second edition of Ku Mingoli Music Bash spearheaded by Sound Addicts Live tomorrow.
Sound Addicts Live Director Shadreck Kalukusha, who is also a renowned sound engineer said yesterday that all was set for Ku Mingoli Music Bash and that all the acts were ready.
“We are ready and everything is in shape. We cannot wait to give people maximum entertainment,” Kalukusha said of the event which this year has gone local with an all local cast that has over 20 artists.
Some of the artists set to perform at the event include Black Missionaries, Piksy, Gwamba, Emmie Deebo and Tay Grin.
