State secures Lake Malawi beaches for public ‘to enjoy freely’

Government has acquired 17 hectares of land along Lake Malawi  for development of public beaches where “Malawians can enjoy freely”  which will act as a model for tourism development along the lake, Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara.

Muhara  said this when he officially opened the 2019 Takulandirani Malawi International Tourism Expo (MITE) in Lilongwe on Thursday.

He said more beaches will be acquired in Nkhata Bay and Mangochi.

“We have researched that the way our lakeshore resorts are designed is not the way resorts are designed elsewhere in the world.

“The way we designed our lakeshore resorts left the public with nowhere to go for their recreation,” he said.

To this effect Muhara said the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism has acquired the land for the development of public beaches where everybody is free to go and enjoy.

Most nice beaches along the shores of Lake Malawi are privately owned; therefore, people cannot access them for free.

“This is not the way it is supposed to be. If you go to other tourist destinations, it is not like that.

“Common people who don’t have a cottage should be able to go to the lake and enjoy the amenities of the lake without actually going into a tourist institution,” Muhara said.

The three-day expo was being held under the theme “Showcasing the real African experience.”

It attracted local exhibitors, 43 high foreign hosted buyers and media selected from several applicants. It also attracted 80 local product buyers.