Chewa king Gawa Undi calls for abolishment of harmful cultural practices
Powerful Chewa king Gawa Undi has called for an immediate abolishment of harmful cultural practices.
The king said this in Nkhotakota on Monday when he visited traditional leaders and subjects under him during his 10-day tour to Malawi.
“All cultural practices proved harmful by science or anything must be discarded,” said Gawa Undi.
He also told parents to stop marrying off their daughters, saying the girls need to be in school and get all the education they needed.
“Marriage is a long-term commitment; therefore, it needs proper planning. Education is the best treasure for everyone in any way. Make sure that all our children acquire the best education.
There is nothing to compromise with education. Learn to be patient like someone who plants an avocado tree which takes about a decade before it starts bearing fruits. The fruits of education take time before you start enjoying them but once you are done you enjoy them forever,” he said.
He emphasized that no parent should marry their children off before they complete tertiary education.
The Chewa king also encouraged all girls who get pregnant while in school to go back and continue with their education after delivery.
The King asked the people to abandon all cultural practices that are harmful in the society. He cited chokolo (where a brother marries his deceased brother’s wife), fisi (where a man sleeps with another man’s wife due to different reasons. He may also sleep with girls after reaching puberty to expose them to sexual life) and chidyerano (where people may exchange sexual partners for fun or other beliefs).
“Be an advocate for change. Say no to all harmful practices and all the poverty plus sexually transmitted diseases will be history,” said Gawa Undi.
He also asked all people to take part in government development activities including planting of vegetation.
“During my tour, I have seen that most of the trees are gone. I urge you to plant trees and take care of them so that we have the beautiful scenery back. In the same way, the man-made disasters that are troubling us today will be of the past,” he said.
The King also advised families to be transparent to each other in terms of the worth they acquire in marriage.
“Excessive beer drinking and lack of transparency and accountability in our families will just make us poorer than before, let us be responsible,” he advised.
Gawa Undi was one of the guests during the Mulhako wa Alhomwe celebrations last weekend. He leads the Chewa in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia said he is touring his people throughout Malawi.
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King Gawa Undi we want our own nation The Republic of Chewa
This is very narrow tribalistiic and nyau thinking. You call that country Nyauland.
This is nice for the chewa king to visit his anthu in other places like nkhatabay …kk ..lowershire…chiradzulu..zomba…MJ..TO & mangochi…etc.
Mwuene jiko.
This is what we would like to hear from our leaders, no society can develop with uneducated citizens. Lets encourage and support our young ones to go school, there are a lot of goodies in education.
Our leaders are busy telling people at cultural gatherings to take gondolosi what a shame……lets use those platform to share good ideas and encourage each other in other areas of importance to our nation..
Please Chewa chief continue with these kind of messages !!!
Galu ameneyu athetse kaye nyau the evil gule
Iwe namwera, ngati ulibe chokamba kulibwino kungokhala chete.
Uthenga walalikira mfumu Gawa Undi ndi osowa kwambiri. Ndi umene sungaumveumve pa milomo ya atsogoleri athu yet miyamboyidi ndi yoipa ndipo yakokera Malawi m’mbuyo
Iweyo mwina ndi Satanist nchifukwa sunakondwe nawo uthengawu.
I expected the King to help resolve the many chieftainship fights that occur in his Kingdom. His people are divided by politicians who use the Constitution to pick wrong people for positions of chiefs. The kingdom might fall apart as history on who should inherit the chieftainship is ignored by politicians and the justice system because of corruption. Take TA Mduwa for example in east of Mchinji District. The government imposed chief is disliked by all subjects but liked by Government/politicians. He uses NGOs and government subsidies/handouts to woo support and sideline those that belong and support the true family… Read more »
Chideyerano……koma yesss….. lol….No wonder
This is what ought to be hearing from our president, and wasting time castigating UTM and the clergy. Look Gawaundi is so ambitious. He say don’t get married until you attain TERTIARY education. That’s the way to go
Bravo, Your Highness!
Muchipeta iwe….will dunderhead aChipeta girls marry after tertiary education soon after chinamwali chachisamba? Only you can answer this. They will never have tertiary education and conversely they will never get married. Simple logic but rare among chipeta bystanders.
Mthakati uyu. Mfiti mapeto
I WE namwera !
Ngati ulibe chokamba osankangowatsudzumila mayi ako ku bafa bwanji..
Malemu bambo ako sanasiye mbewu yabwino.
Fotseki
kkkkk koma