APM not attending 2021 Mulhakho wa Alhomwe Celebrations

Former State President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM), will not participate in this year’s Mulhakho wa Alhomwe despite being billed to be the Guest of Honour of the event, Nyasa Times has confirmed.

Mutharika is also the patron of Mulhakho wa Alhomwe – a cultural grouping of that brings together people of the Lhomwe tribe from Malawi and Mozambique.

This year, the festival will run from 8-10 October, 2021, at its headquarters at Chonde in Mulanje.

In earlier interviews, both Mulhakho wa Alhomwe Board Chairperson Leston Mulli and the grouping’s Chief Executive Officer, Pius Mvenya Junior, confirmed that APM confirmed his attendance at the festival.

But Nyasa Times has now learnt that APM has changed his mind and that he is no longer interested to participate in the cultural festival.

While Mulli maintained that APM will be in attendance at the festival, Mvenya confirmed that the former President will not avail himself on security reasons.

“Those are just rumours! He’s attending the festival,” said Mulli.

On the other hand, Mvenya said, “It’s true that he has changed his mind. He has formally communicated to us that he is not attending because of security concerns, especially considering that the current administration has been looking for the opportunity to get him.”

This year, Mulhakho wa Alhomwe has engaged Nkhata Bay-based Parker Town Band, a celebrated traditional dance, to perform and entertain patrons during the festival.

Parker Town Band is one of the remaining honala groups that have stood the test of time and is well known for honala dance in the country.

Mulli said the roping in of the popular honala band was aimed at fostering coexistence in the country, saying unity is an enabler for development for any societies.

Mulhako wa Alhomwe was established in 2007 and was officially launched by then President late Professor Bingu was Mutharika.

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