Let our people freely move—Chakwera
President Lazarus Chakwera has said leaders of Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique should discuss how citizens of the three nations could be moving within the countries without a passport.
Chakwera was speaking during this year’s Kulamba ceremony at Mkaika in Zambia where Chewas from Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique gather every last Saturday of August to pay homage to their king Kalonga Gawa Undi.
Said Chakwera: “The three countries are dominated by the Chewa people and from the love that we share under the guidance of Kalonga Gawa Undi, we should be thinking of ways in which our citizens can even be moving without a passport.”
On unity among the three countries, Chakwera cited extradition of a Chinese national Lu Ke also known as Susu from Zambia to be prosecuted for allegedly exploiting Malawian children.
He also recalled how Zambia played a central role in assisting several Malawians who were involved in a road accident in Zambia.
Chakwera said he has so far worked hard to unite different cultures in Malawi using three pillars namely equal distribution of development projects, recruitment into civil service based on merit and celebration of different cultural ceremonies.
“In my country, Malawi, I have attended
cultural ceremonies of all cultural groups and I was eagerly waiting for the Kulamba Chewa cultural ceremony, my culture,” he said.
In his remarks, Gawa Undi congratulated Malawi and Zambia for holding peaceful elections, demonstrating that the peace and unity promoted by the Chewa people is working.
Gawa Undi urged the leaderships of the three countries to promote education, especially for girls in their counties, abolish harmful cultural practices and promote respect for women.
“We are Chewa people and we have to be identified by our values which centre on peace, unity and respect and let’s not forget to promote our culture,” he said.
The Chewa King also urged the three countries to continue promoting agriculture by formulating enabling policies, advancing market linkages for agricultural produce and improving road infrastructure.
President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia said he was glad to receive Chakwera at such an auspicious ceremony both as sitting presidents after meeting at the same venue several times as leaders of opposition.
He thanked the people of Malawi and Zambia for entrusting them to lead their countries and promised that the two will continue working together to serve their people well.
Mozambican Tete province governor Domingos Viola represented the Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi while other dignitaries included High Commissioners, Ministers, Members of Parliament, government officials, Chiefs and religious leaders from the three countries
