Report of Siachilaba & Syanzyundu ITC Official Openings

Tonga.Online is pleased to report the successful Official Opening of the Siachilaba ITC and Syanzyundu ITC on 4 September 2004.

 The Opening was carried out by the Provincial Administrator for Matabeleland, Mrs Dhlamini, and attended by the Provincial Education Director Mr D Moyo, and Messrs P Nyati and W F Moyo of the same department, together with representatives of all Binga authorities, several chiefs of Binga area including Siachilaba, Saba, and Siabuwa, headmasters and teachers of several surrounding schools, and around 5000 adults and children of the community.

The Austrian partners and visitors included Peter and Hedi Kuthan, Karl and Hermine Ritter, and the Zambian visitors totalled 111 ngoma buntibe musicians led by Chief Sinazongwe, and artist Patrick Mweemba of Choma Museum and Crafts Center, Zambia. Other guests included ZESA Rural Electrification Agency’s Mr George Chigama and colleagues, who had joined with Tonga.Online to celebrate the ‘Switching-On’ of Siachilaba Primary School, Dr Gary Brooking of Arachnid Designs, and representatives of Delta, who donated 1800 litres of Chibuku (traditional beer) for more than 160 musicians.

The event enjoyed the full support of all Binga stakeholders and members of the community, which enabled the presentation of an important development to the communities and provided a meeting place for Tonga people from the Zambian and Zimbabwean side who have been separated for almost five decades. The musical events were highly charged traditional performances, which pulsed with a strong display of vivid and exciting Tonga music cultures.