By Burnett Munthali

In an unexpected move, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has been left off the guest list for this year’s Mulhako wa Alhomwe cultural festival, scheduled for Sunday, October 6, 2024, at Chonde Cultural Village in Mulanje. This revelation was made by the Chairperson of the festival’s organizing committee, Mr. Felix Tambulasi, who confirmed that all other political parties had been invited to the annual celebration except for the ruling MCP.

Speaking on Friday, Tambulasi explained that the decision to exclude the MCP from the event was deliberate but declined to provide detailed reasons behind the move. “We have invited representatives from all political parties, except for the Malawi Congress Party,” he said, raising eyebrows as the cultural event traditionally promotes unity and inclusiveness.

The exclusion of the MCP has sparked speculation, with many interpreting the decision as a politically charged statement, especially considering the deep-rooted historical and political tensions between the MCP and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), led by former president Peter Mutharika, who will be the guest of honour at the festival.

Tambulasi, however, downplayed any political undertones, emphasizing that the festival remains a cultural celebration aimed at bringing together people of different ethnicities and political affiliations to promote Malawi’s cultural heritage. “Mulhako wa Alhomwe is not about politics. It is about celebrating and preserving the Lhomwe culture,” he said.

Nonetheless, the absence of the ruling party at such a high-profile cultural gathering is likely to stir debate, especially in the context of Malawi’s increasingly polarized political landscape. Political commentators have already started questioning whether the exclusion might signal underlying political discord between the Lhomwe leadership and the current government.

As preparations for the festival near completion, the focus remains on Sunday’s celebrations, which promise an exciting showcase of Lhomwe traditions, capped by the inauguration of Mudzi wa Alhomwe, a cultural village to be officially opened by Mutharika. Despite the controversy, the Mulhako wa Alhomwe is expected to draw a large crowd eager to experience the richness of Lhomwe heritage.