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Malawi government shunned a Christmas Gala Dinner organised by Malawians living in South Africa with the aim of promoting the country’s tourism and wooing potential investors. The function, among several other high profiled investors, also attracted representatives from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).
The gala, held at Liban Banqueting Hall in Sandton Johannesburg last Saturday, was organised by a group of Malawians calling itself Malawi and Friends which extended invitations to the Minister of Trade and Private Sector Development Eunice Kazembe, Information and Tourism Minister Minister Ken Lipenga and Malawi High Commissioner in South Africa Michael Kamphambe Khoma.
But none of these attended the meeting.
Chairman of Malawi and Friends James Mapunda in an interview from South Africa expressed disappointment with government’s action, which he said was also behind the move to discourage others from attending the meeting because they suspected that it was political.
According to Mapunda among the organisers were former MCP politician Brian Mungomo and former Malawi Institute of Democratic and Economic Affairs (Midea) chief Shyley Kondowe.
“These people ought to understand that South Africa is a strategic economic partner to Malawi and, therefore, should be sensitive to investment initiatives that could benefit our country. Whatever their reasons were for not attending, they had no business discouraging others from attending the function,” said Mapunda.
He said Kazembe accepted an invitation to address the function and in her acceptance letter, she also indicated that she had instructed a representative from Malawi Investment Promotion Agency (MIPA) to attend the function.
Mapunda said the minister cancelled her attendance three days before the function, saying she had another engagement in Brussels.
On Lipenga, Mapunda said his attendance was specifically requested by DBSA on the basis of their interest in developing tourism.
DBSA has been instrumental in development initiatives in the Sadc region and in particular in Mozambique, whose economic growth has been hailed as “exceptional” by the World Bank after years of civil war.
Mapunda said a follow up with the Minister of Information and Tourism with his Principal Secretary Hawa Ndilowe indicated that the minister also had another engagement in Hong Kong.
According to Mapunda, the Malawian High Commissioner was asked to send someone from his office to represent the minister but Kamphambe Nkhoma advised Ndilowe against attending the function.
Mapunda alleged that the High Commissioner revealed to him at a preparatory meeting that he had received an anonymous letter threatening him and his staff that they would all be recalled to Malawi if they attended the function.
He said initially the High Commissioner cooperated well with the organising committee and among other things he pledged to donate Carlsberg beer, Nali Chillies and Chambo fillet from Malawi. However, the High Commissioner withdrew his commitment without giving any reasons.
One of those who attended the function described it as a shame that despite the efforts by Malawi & Friends to promote investment into the country government showed no interest.
“Imagine that the function was actually funded by these potential investors and Malawi government decided to boycott it just because of politics. We are saying this was not about individuals or politics, it was about developing our country,” said the patron who refused to be named.
Kamphambe-Nkhoma on Tuesday declined to comment on why his office boycotted the gala, saying he was not prepared to comment on the function.
Kazembe in a separate interview confirmed having received an invitation but said she could not honour it because she was attending another meeting in Brussels.
“Unfortunately the invitation was to the minister and not to the ministry as such,” she said.
Ndilowe also confirmed having received an invitation for Lipenga but said the date of the meeting coincided with the minister’s other engagement outside the country.
“The problem was scheduling and we could not send anyone from the High Commission because the invitation was at ministerial level and we thought it inappropriate to send a junior officer. At the embassy we only have a junior tourism attache,” she said.
Ndilowe parried the accusations that the meeting was boycotted on political grounds.
“In fact, we have suggested to them that if the people who organised the dinner are indeed interested in promoting tourism, which we think is a noble cause, they should organise another meeting where we will be able to send people to make some presentations,” she added.
The gala was organised under the theme “Promoting Investment, Diversity and Cultural Exchange”.
Speakers at the gala included former University of Malawi chemistry professor Chodziwadziwa Mjojo, who runs a computer systems and consulting firm in South Africa and Frank Mlotchwa, a former national football team goal keeper who also runs a business in that country and is a founding member of Malawi & Friends.
Mjojo has also lectured at the universities of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, Transkei and Durban Westville before setting up his information technology business.
Over 200 guests are said to have attended the function at which renowned musician, Mlaka Maliro and his Maloto Vibrations performed.
There were also prizes which included a return air ticket for two to Blantyre with two nights at Le Meridien Mount Soche Hotel and two nights at Club Makokola, courtesy of Air Malawi, Le Meridian Hotels and Club Makokola respectively.
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