‘Warm Heart of Africa’ tagline stirs debate

Malawians have grown to know and believe that where they come from, is the Warm Heart of Africa.

However  a  debate started this week following a purported billboard indicating Tanzania as the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ making rounds on social media. Entertainment centred social media platform Mikozi shared a picture of the billboard and people took time to express their displeasure with the development.

Gift Kusamba wrote: “Of course things are not going well in our country, but this is not something we need to take lightly. ‘The Warm Heart of Africa’ is Malawi despite that we are going through hard times. Let us love our country please.”

Omega Gloria Gonaulinji said: “Why do they want to steal everything? I thought they refer to their country as the Soul of Africa?”

However Joan Trayce had a different take, saying: “Let them take the tagline. I think as Malawi we have failed to live up to the tagline.”

But Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule played down the use of the phrase by other nationals, saying that she has never seen the Tanzanian Tourism Board use the tagline in any of their platforms.

On whether the tagline was patented, Kamtukule said she was not sure and needed to check with the ministry of Justice first.

“I have spoken to five of my counterparts in the Southern African Development Community region, but none has indicated they patented their taglines,” she said.

Kamtukule said she took up the matter with the Tanzanian Tourism Minister  who expressed ignorance on the issue.