M’mbelwa V asks Ngonis to preserve culture

Paramount Chief M’mbelwa V of Mzimba has asked the Ngoni to continue preserving their culture.

He said this in Mzimba on Saturday during the commemoration of this year’s Mzimba Ngoni Cultural Festival widely known as Umthetho.

Mmbelwa said it is important for the Ngoni to uphold and continue with their key values and practices while addressing social challenges such as HIV and Aids.

“I want to ask all Ngoni to be responsible whenever we are preserving our heritage.

“We are living in an era where HIV and Aids is claiming lives of many people. So, despite our Ngoni culture allowing men to practise polygamy, we should also be mindful of the HIV and Aids challenge among us,” he said.

The Paramount Chief also took advantage of the occasion to request government to declare Hora Mountain a tourism site so that it contributes towards the promotion of tourism in the country.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Phiri said government encourages cultural festivals as they help in addressing some vital issues affecting the country. “In 2015 government developed a Cultural Preservation Policy to encourage various cultural groups to come together and share possible solutions to challenges which have direct effects on their lives,” he said.