K40 million for Chief Ngolongoliwa elevation

Mulhako wa Alhomwe says it has budgeted K40 million to host the elevation ceremony of Senior Chief Ngolongoliwa of Thyolo to Paramount Chief this Sunday at  Chonde in Mulanje.

President Peter Mutharika, who elevated the senior chief in March this year alongside Senior Chief Kawinga of Machinga, is scheduled to attend over the ceremony.

Ngolongoliwa chieftaincy elevation ceremony publicity chairperson Dickson Makumba on Wednesday said all is set to ensure the event is successful.

“So many guests have been invited, including all chiefs and cultural groups in Malawi and across the border, to celebrate with us,” he said.

Makumba also said although it was a government function, as a tribal grouping, they budgeted for K40 million to successfully host the event.

“But we still have a deficit which we believe will be cleared as we still have a few more days before the actual event,” added Mulhako wa Alhomwe chief executive officer Muchanakhwaye Mpuluka.

He said the elevation of Ngolongoliwa has brought joy to all the Lhomwes and hoped the development will make the chief engage another gear in ensuring that his territory is well developed.

“Chiefs are development accelerators and it is the expectation of all Lhomwes that his elevation will transform the Lhomwe belt,” said Mpuluka.

Ngolongoliwa takes over from the late Paramount Chief Mkhumba of Phalombe who died in July 2014 aged 82 after a long illness.

Mkhumba became Senior Chief in 2001 and was elevated to Paramount chief in 2008.n