Nkunika, Luwani to fly Malawi Toastmasters flag

Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) commercial director Levie Nkunika emerged champion at this year’s National Toastmasters Wintercon 2015 Conference held at the Ryalls Hotel in Blanytre last week.

All three Toastmasters Clubs in Malawi, namely Blantyre, Eloquent and Lilongwe Toastmasters, participated at the national conference.

Nkunika competed in the Humorous and Power Speech Category, whose runner-up was Jeka Chipofya, with Keith Cundale coming third.

In the Impromptu Speech category, Chimwemwe Luwani emerged first, Mayamiko Jere was second and James Chiumia came third.

This means that Nkunika and Luwani will represent Malawi at the African Public Speaking Championship scheduled for early October 2015 in South Africa.

Toastmasters Wintercon is the biggest annual Toastmasters calendar event, which comprises Communication and Leadership workshops and a Public Speaking Contest.

The guest of honour at the event was Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) Eric Kaila from South Africa, who is division director for Southern Africa Toastmasters.

Kaila congratulated the winners and expressed his vision that Malawi has quality speakers and can see a Malawian winning the World Championship of Public Speaking one day.

“It always seems impossible until it is done,” Kaila quoted Nelson Mandela and wished the winners success.

Soustain Chigaru, Toastmasters area director for Malawi and organising chairman of the Wintercon event, said Malawi has great potential to groom and breed world class leaders and public speakers.

Chigaru challenged participants of the Wintercon 2015 to move out of their comfort zones, set ambitious goals and experience life.

Asked of his secret for success, Nkunika said “drive and preparation” takes him up the ladder. “For me the key is drive and preparation that includes being mentored by those that have done it before.”

Toastmasters International (TI) is a nonprofit educational organisation that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking, and leadership skills.

Through its thousands of member clubs, Toastmasters International offers a programme of communication and leadership projects designed to help people learn the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking.

The organisation operates in 126 countries and has over 300 000 members. n