China has donated 100,000 masks to Malawi for the country’s Independence Day celebrations and the inauguration ceremony on July 6.
The celebrations are held on July 6 every year and this year they will be conducted together with the inauguration ceremony for newly elected president Lazarus Chakwera.
The Malawi leader said at a press briefing today that as his administration has secured and reserved 100,000 masks for this celebrations.
Liu Hongyang, the Chinese ambassador to Malawi said the masks are a donation from the Chinese government.
“As announced by President Lazarus Chakwera, the Chinese Embassy is pleased to donate 100,000 face masks for the inauguration ceremony on July 6, to help prevent COVID-19,” Liu tweeted.
There had been calls to cancel the inauguration ceremony but Chakwera said today that the ceremony will go on because Malawi has to find new ways of functioning in the face of Coronavirus.
“Covid-19 does not demand the end of our way of life, but the adoption of a new way of life. That new way of life must strike a balance between public safety and social sustenance,” said Chakwera.
He then urged people who will go to the ceremony to wear masks. He added that number of attendees will be reduced to 20,000 at the 40,000 capacity Bingu National Stadium to ensure social distancing.
