HUNDREDS of Malawians yesterday gathered at Arrupe College in Mt Pleasant, Harare for prayers to mark their country’s 50th Independence Anniversary.
by CHARLES LAITON
Malawi attained its independence from Britain on July 6 1964. Malawian ambassador to Zimbabwe, Jane Kambalame said all Malawians living in the diaspora should pull their resources together to help develop the impoverished country.
“The President (Arthur Peter Mutharika) is wishing us all well and asking us to be part of Malawi’s development. We might be living outside Malawi but we still have a role to play in the development of our nation,” Kambalame said.
“Last week I was in Botswana where I challenged other Malawians and said why don’t we have a Malawi diaspora advisory council outside Malawi because for as long as diaspora issues are pushed from within Malawi it will never work.”
She said it was important for all Malawians living in the diaspora to create a council meant to advise the government on issues of development and sustainability.
“Criticism is good but sometimes we also need to criticise as a way of building a nation and not as a way of shooting down whatever is happening in the country,” Kambalame said.
“Prior to the elections people might criticise yes, because its politics but not after the elections when we have five years ahead of us to build a nation. The time is now. We can’t wait for someone else to build the country for us. We cannot afford a situation where our children will have to go outside Malawi to go on a train. Malawi is for us and we all have a role to play.”
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The ambassador also said her office was planning to conduct jubilee celebrations in September this year where all Malawians in the country would be invited to attend.
“We are also planning several programmes for the youth. We want to involve our youths in all our major programmes because they represent Malawi’s future,” Kambalame said.
She also took the opportunity to salute Harare musician Bagdadiy Mwanyali, who composed the Malawian jubilee song .
Sermons were conducted by Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (C.C.A.P) Rev Leonard Botomani, Reformed Baptist Church Rev Wilson Kanyiwa, Rev Edwin M. Selemani and Sheik A. Makwinja.
Also participating in the celebrations were several musical groups that included Mbare C.C.A.P Main choir, Mufakose C.C.A.P. all male choir, Arcturus Boys and Islamic choir together with several clergy men from different religious organisations.
