Department of Arts in the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture Tuesday had an interface with stakeholders to review some of the new proposals in the National Arts Heritage Council (Nahec) Draft Bill.
Director of Arts Humphrey Mpondaminga said the meeting was held in Lilongwe Tuesday.
“The meeting was all about reaching out to players to enhance some of the provisions added to Nahec Draft Bill, which is there to accelerate development of the creative industry,” Mpondaminga said.
He said the stakeholders agreed in principal on the new proposals that have been added to the draft bill.
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“We were requested by the Ministry of Justice to make some improvements to the draft bill and, having made that, we had to consult players since issues cut across and now we take it back hoping that it will be taken to Parliament for tabling,” Mpondaminga said.
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Arts activist and member of Nahec Taskforce Eric Trinta, who is also proprietor of Nyamithambo Arts Palace, described the meeting as crucial for the advancement of the creative sector.
“This meeting brought together several players in the value chain as regards boosting the Nahec Draft Bill. As Nahec Taskforce, which I represented, we are very much interested in the timelines and implementation as we have had enough of the meetings,” Trinta said.
He said Unesco has been in the forefront in supporting the creative sector in some of the discussions on Nahec Draft Bill, which, if enacted, will lead to the establishment of Nahec.
He further said that Arts Department has done well so far and that it will handle the contributions made during the meeting before sending the Draft Bill to Ministry of Justice.
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“We are hopeful that Nahec Draft Bill will now go to Parliament and be enacted,” Trinta said.
Recently, Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda told creatives during the 2023 Entertainers of the Year Awards in Lilongwe, that Nahec Draft Bill would be tabled during the next meeting of Parliament, adding that all procedures regarding tabling had been completed.
He said the government was dedicated to lifting the creative industry in the country, hence taking a huge step to table the Nahec Draft Bill this year.
Chimwendo Banda said the government was set to table the bill as all procedures regarding tabling it have been done.
The minister said the bill was in line with the Malawi 2063 vision which encourages creativity as a pillar to economic development.
The Parliamentary Committee on Social and Community Affairs recently also acknowledged that Nahec Draft Bill was long overdue.
Creatives have been lobbying for the enactment of the Nahec Draft Bill for a long time and have, through their taskforce, petitioned Parliament twice on the issue.
