Chiwanja cha Ayao goes to the polls this year

Chiwanja Cha Ayao will this year hold an elective conference to choose new office bearers.

Speaking in an interview, the cultural grouping’s chairperson Mzee Yassin said the current committee has stayed beyond its stipulated three-year mandate due to factors such as Covid -19 which do not permit large gatherings as well as Cyclone Freddy that affected many Yao-dominated regions.

He said: “Last year we had our annual event in November at Mangochi Stadium, but this time around we want to put our house in order by bringing in new blood to run the group. We are also considering reviewing our constitution with the guidance of our Paramount Chief Kawinga.”

Yassin said all positions are up for grabs at a date yet to be announced.

“Eligible candidates are those that are paid up members. These are those who meet annual membership fee that every member pays. This fee caters for the smooth running of our cultural heritage. Other than that, all Yaos are members of Chiwanja Cha Ayao,” he said.

On her part, the group’s deputy publicity secretary Violet Msito said all Yaos are invited to the conference.

“Issues of discussing the Yao dictionary and Yao proverbs books, currently available on the market, will be discussed further,” she said.

Msito said they have members in Mulanje, Chiradzulu, Thyolo, Blantyre, Zomba, Machinga, Balaka, Mangochi, Salima and Dedza.

“This is where we have indigenous traditional authorities since our migration into Malawi from Kuyao Mountain in the Republic of Mozambique,” she said.

On his part, paramount Chief Kawinga, who is also the grouping’s patron thanked the outgoing executive committee for progress made during their time in office. “Let me salute chairperson Yassin, who is also village head Beadman Mangochi, for the wonderful job he did to our cultural group. It is my sincere hope that the incoming committee will continue from where the current committee stops from,” he said.