Unity a catalyst for national development -Mtambo

Tiyanjane Nandie Mambucha – Mana.

Minister of Civic Education and National Unity, Timothy Mtambo, has stressed the need for mindset change by Malawians and to forget about their differences to start working on a new Malawi.

Speaking in Dowa on Monday when he engaged chiefs and traditional leaders on government obligations, citizen’s responsibilities, national values and unity, Mtambo said his ministry was working on strategies on how traditional and religious leaders could work with government in the provision of civic education on mindset change.

“All the stakeholders we are engaging today are agents of unity, peace and development, and key when it comes to promoting peace and unity in our communities.

“The ministry is developing transformative national values and also working towards developing and instituting the day of national unity and cultural heritage.

“Therefore, we are making consultations for the two so that through these meetings, we get views from the people for sustainability purposes,” said Mtambo.

The minister further said chiefs and religious leaders have a crucial role to play in promoting unity and coexistence among subjects and congregations they are serving.

“It is our responsibility as leaders to settle disputes, disagreements and any form of conflicts in our communities by bringing together disputing parties for amicable solutions to disputes.

“Thus, we have to encourage and promote contact and dialogue in our communities and the country as whole,” the minister said.

He said his ministry has established District Peace Committees (DPCs) in six districts to facilitate peaceful and amicable settlements of disputes. He revealed that soon the committees would be set in all districts in the country.

Dowa District Council Director of Administration, Boniface Macheka, said the engagement meeting with traditional and religious leaders was crucial for the council since the leaders were in better position to inform their subjects on different matters.

In his remarks, Dowa Pastors Fraternal Chairperson, Reverend Joseph Nthinda, said people needed to be educated on different issues concerning their government for them to be informed citizens.

“This engagement meeting is dealing with awareness as an issue. The gap that has existed between government and its citizens on information sharing needs to be filled.

“It is government responsibility to make people aware of different issues, hence the need for this meeting,” said Reverend Nthinda.

State President, Lazarus Chakwera created the new Ministry of Civic Education and National Unity in July, 2020 to unite Malawians regardless of religion, tribe or political affiliation.

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