Independence Day celebrations to cost K320 million

Government has said it will spend K320 million on this year’s Independence Day celebrations.

In a speech shared with the The Nation yesterday, Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda said the resources were already provided for in the 2023/2024 National Budget.

However, governance expert George Phiri wondered where the Tonse Alliance government was getting the energy to organise Independence Day celebrations looking at how dependent the country is on donors.

He said: “We will spend K320 million on celebrations yet our leader is global-trotting with a begging bowl and asking for debt cancellation.”
“The country is being run by borrowing. Our forex reserves are depleted but here we are planning to spend millions of kwacha to celebrate independence. Where do these leaders get the energy from?
But Chimwendo Banda, who is also chairperson of the organising committee, said they hope the private sector can come in and help.

He said: “We appeal to the private sector to come in and support in some expenditure line items of the budget.”
Independence Day celebrations will be held under the theme ‘Celebrating Renewed Unity and Patriotism’.
Malawi gained independence from British rule on July 6 1964. n