Doll Mabel reveals K120 million birthday bash for Lilongwe – with a masked twist

Former Miss Malawi third-place finisher and popular pageant host Mabel Khonje, better known as Doll Mabel, has revealed she will spend a staggering K120 million on a lavish birthday celebration in Lilongwe, in what she is billing as the biggest party to hit Malawi in 2026.

Doll Mabel, who finished third in the Miss Malawi pageant back in 2004 and has since gone on to host the competition herself, now lives in the Netherlands but has confirmed she will be flying home to Malawi specifically to celebrate her birthday in style.

The extravagant event, dubbed ‘A Love Song by Doll Mabel’, is set to take place at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) on Friday, 14 August, with the celebrity host confirming she has invited a host of prominent Malawian celebrities and senior professionals from across various industries.

‘This is a party I hold every year to celebrate my birthday,’ Mabel explained. ‘This year the party is happening right here at home in Malawi.’

Adding an unusual twist to proceedings, Mabel revealed that all attendees will be required to wear masks to the event, as part of a special theme designed to tie in with the party’s overall message.

The eye-watering K120 million price tag attached to the celebration is likely to raise eyebrows in a country where the vast majority of citizens continue to grapple with a severe cost-of-living crisis, chronic foreign exchange shortages and rising public debt, with the lavish display of wealth standing in stark contrast to the everyday financial struggles facing many ordinary Malawians.

No further details have yet been released regarding the full guest list or the specific significance behind the masked theme, though anticipation is already building among Malawian socialites ahead of what promises to be one of the most talked-about events of the year.