The Department of Museums and Monuments has asked the office of the District Commissioner in Dowa district to facilitate the compilation of the heritage elements of the district after which it can conduct the research to validate their significance.
The call has been made by the Director of the Department, Dr. Elizabeth Gomani Chindevu during the Dowa cultural heritages presentation to the District executive council committee meeting held at the boma.
Dr. Gomani Chindevu said these monuments are in their areas and them are in the best position to ensure that they are preserved and not vandalized in any way, calling upon assistance in teeming with the Department towards the preservation and conservation of the monuments for the socio – economic benefits of the present and future generation.
“Let us all be part of preserving and conserving the monuments for the benefits of today and the future history of the generation,” Said Dr. Gomani Chindevu.
She said the heritages of Dowa district needs to be uncovered, researched and promoted for posterity and socio – economic development saying intangible cultural heritages have elements from the communities that could be revitalized for the benefit of the people of Malawi in general and Dowa in particular.
The Director, then, called for the need to work together to ensure that this is achieved as per the mandate of the Department to preserve, conserve, promote , study and present the natural and cultural heritage of Malawi and interpret this heritage to all Malawians and visitors a like for posterity, national identity and social – economic development.
In his remarks, Nice Trust District Civic Education Officer for Dowa, Vincent Mbenjere, lamented that Dowa district has many monuments but on paper, it appears to have fewer sites hence a great need to list them all for the good of the public and some additions.
Mbenjere said Ngala hill monument need to be included on the national monument saying the first white District Commissioner allocated himself there meaning that Ngala hill has a historical background.
The heritages of Dowa include Mvera mission, Murray House, the Cairn ( stone monument), Mvera church, the Bell, and tower of Mvera church.
Malawi has 229 monuments and sites listed across the country, 19 of these are gazetted as protected monuments and sites under section 11 of the Monuments and Relics Act.
