By Chisomo Phiri

Paramount Chief Kyungu of Karonga and Chitipa has expressed concern over the erosion of traditional values in the country.

Kyungu expressed his concern during the second Karonga-Chitipa Cultural Festival, which was held at Mbande Hills in Karonga on Saturday.

He said he believes that many Malawians have misunderstood the concept of democracy, leading to a decline in respect for elders and a sense of community.

According to Kyungu, the misunderstanding of democracy has led to a rise in suicide cases and vandalism of development equipment.

He emphasized the need for Malawians to revisit their lost values and show respect to elderly people.

“By doing so, the country can get back on track in terms of development,” he said.

On her part,speaker of the National Assembly, Catherine Gotani Hara, who represented President Lazarus Chakwera at the festival, commended the people of Karonga and Chitipa for their efforts in promoting culture.

She noted that the current generation views culture as primitive and that many people in urban areas do not even know their vernacular languages.

Hara also pointed out that people have forgotten their roots, and that in the past, orphans were adopted into homes with love.

“However, nowadays, people only look out for their immediate family members, which is a sign of moral decay,” said Hara.

In his remarks,chairperson for Karonga Chitipa Heritage, Malumbo Mwasinga, requested government support for cultural festivals, highlighting their role in fostering national unity.

This was the second joint cultural festival held by the people of Chitipa and Karonga, following the inaugural edition in 2022 at the same site.

The festival was cancelled last year due to drought and floods, which affected many in Karonga and surrounding areas.