The Umthetho Cultural Festival this year will be held on August 3, 2024 at Hora Mountain in Mzimba District.

While they are still preparing for the festival, Ngoni King Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa V led the M’mbelwa Chiefs Council in engaging Mzimba Heritage Association (Mziha) and the districts council of elders (Esangweni) to appreciate their plans for the event.

M’belwa said they are seeking to learn about their state of preparedness as regards the 2024 Umthetho Cultural Festival.

The King during the engagement at Mzimba boma, urged the two entities to remain as transparent and accountable as possible bearing in mind that companies and individuals, who support the festival do so on trust.

He emphasized that it is just a question of maintaining what they have been doing before. They want Mziha and ESangweni to continue with the good work they have been doing over the years in ensuring that every penny donated to the festival is put to good use and properly accounted for.

He also appreciated Mziha for the tremendous work it was doing in its preparations for the annual festival and how they perfectly executed the 2023 edition.

Kingsley Jele the Mziha Secretary Gaeneral said the activities for the event will start on July 31 at the boma.

Jele said they have lined up several activities before the main event on August 3. They expect to have a conference for amakhosi (chiefs), a youth and women’s conference and a visit to Mzalangwe to pay homage to Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa I at his tomb.

He concluded that the preparations and things are going according to plan and called on stakeholders to help with erecting a fence around M’mbelwa I’s tomb.