The Department of Museums and Monuments has reiterated on the need for the country to preserve her culture and history.

Director in the Department, Dr. Elizabeth Gomani-Chindevu told journalists in Dedza during a media tour to Chongoni Rock Art World Heritage, particularly at Chentcherere and Mphunzi rock paintings in the district.

According Dr. Gomani-Chindevu, the country has rich history that needs to be jealously preserved for the benefit of next generation to come.

According history, the Chongoni rock paintings were made by the Akafula that are red and the white ones were by the early Chewas.

Malawi is the only country in Central Africa that has a huge concentration of the rock paintings and in total; they are about 127 all at the Chongoni Rock Art World Heritage.

However, Dr. Gomani-Chindevu has bemoaned a number of challenges that need thorough address such as good infrastructure.

“The roads to the site are in bad shape and we do not have sanitary facilities at these sites, and also some offices that will be like a reception to provide information to the visitors,”  complained Dr. Gomani-Chindevu.

Meanwhile, the African Development Bank is running a four year 9 million US dollar project aiming at transforming tourism including the Chongoni rock paintings.

Dr. Gomani-Chindevu said the funds will be used to in making over the site to be more attractive.

“We want to sensitise the communities around here, the policy makers at Dedza District Council, we want also to have maps of this site, and also signposts from M1 Road to the site we opened to the public so that people know how to get there,” said Dr. Gomani-Chindevu.

According to both research and history, the Akafula red paintings are said to be over 2000 years old.

The Chongoni rock paintings were declared World Heritage Site in 2006 by the UN`s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO.