The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) has advised government to be cautious about its expenditure on Independence Day celebrations which fall on July 6 every year.
CCJP National Coordinator Boniface Chibwana said this in an interview Thursday in reaction to government’s announcement that this year’s July 6 celebrations will cost K320 million.
Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda disclosed the amount at a press conference in Lilongwe.
“We need to keep in our mind the socioeconomic situation every time we want to celebrate this day.
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“Currently, many Malawians are suffering because public delivery service is at its lowest,” Chibwana said.
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He advised government to borrow a leaf from other countries which have previously diverted such funds to other projects.
“We need to learn from our colleagues in the region like Tanzania where for two years in the past, the budgetary allocation towards independence celebrations were channelled to road construction,” he said.
Chibwana added that Malawi needs to become economically independent to afford annual celebrations.
Addressing the media, Chimwendo Banda said the 59th Independence Day celebrations will be held under the theme ‘Celebrating Renewed Unity and Patriotism’, and that heads of State from neighbouring countries are expected to attend.
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“Government has this year decided to accord Malawians a befitting commemoration and celebration of our Independence after having observed the celebrations in the past two years through National Services of Worship.
“You may recall that we could not have our usual and traditional commemorative events mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021 and, in 2022, the low-key commemoration was mainly because of the economic situation the country was going through,” Chimwendo Banda said.
The minister, who is also the chairperson of the organising committee for the celebrations, said there will be a National Service of Worship on July 5 at Malawi Square at Bingu International Convention Centre and thereafter, the main celebrations at Bingu National Stadium on July 6.
Commenting on the theme, a member of the organising committee, Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, said it gives Malawians an opportunity to renew their resolve for unity and the commitment to. remain more patriotic after going through challenges during the past two years
“We do not have any other home but Malawi and no one else will build a Malawi that we want for us and our future generations, but ourselves,” Kandodo Chiponda said.
Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma said the climax of the celebrations will be on July 6 at Bingu National Stadium where the Malawi Defence Force and the Malawi Police Service will conduct their displays.
“There will also be performances by our renowned musicians such as Black Missionaries, Skeffa Chimoto, Lulu and Eli Njuchi,” Ng’oma said
Malawi became independent from Britain on July 6, 1964.
