2024 Kamuzu Day to be commemorated in Blantyre

By Judgement Katika……..

The Kamuzu Day will be commemorated in Blantyre, Kamuzu Stadium this year as the Government hints at rotating the commemoration across all the regions in Malawi.

The Minister of Local Government Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda made the sentiment on Thursday in Lilongwe when addressing the press saying Kamuzu Banda was the national leader not a leader for one region.

He said traditionally they have been doing the celebration in the central region, but it pleases His Excellency President Lazarus Chakwera and the Kamuzu family to start rotating it saying this year they are taking the celebration to Kamuzu stadium in Blantyre in the southern region on the 14th May 2024.

Banda lamented that President Lazarus Chakwera will be the guest of honor during the event saying it’s going to be a day of activities that will start with prayers followed by celebration through traditional dances across the country.

He stated:” Most of the dances are the ones that Kamuzu used to love like Ingoma from Mzimba, Magolowondo from Nsanje, Tchopa from Phalombe, Gulewamkulu from Chileka in the central region.

“But soon after there will be a football match between Mighty Mukuru Wanderas against Silver Strikers followed by music performances by Black Missionaries, Pisky, Eli Njuchi, Zeze Kingstone, Ndirande Anglican Voices, Miracle Chinga, and a quiet number of young upcoming artists just to celebrate a.”

Banda further said the uniqueness of this year’s celebration is that they would want young people to continuously know where they come from, who laid the foundation of Malawi, What made him lay that foundation, and What struggles he went through because no life will have no struggles and Kamuzu had struggles even before he attended his education, when he was trying to do this and even when he was providing leadership to this country. But he made sure that all was set aside and gave himself dedication to serve Malawians at the same time laying a good foundation for this country.

He added that he made a good foundation on the best education, health, and agriculture, he wanted his people to enjoy their rights to progress and he planted the spirit of hard work and dedication to Malawian people. The foundation he laid is what leads people to celebrate his life today, young people and those who are in leadership today must continuously embrace it.

In his remarks, a representative of the Kamuzu Banda family Ken Kandodo said they are very grateful that President Lazarus Chakwera approved the celebration of remembering Kamuzu should be rotated in various regions to acknowledge that Kamuzu was a national leader.

The government has injected K90 million to conduct the Kamuzu Day celebration. Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda was the first president of this country and he died in 1996 at the age of 98 after ruling this country for 31 years.