A NEW LEASE OF LIFE: LAUNCH AND COMMISSIONING OF TUNTUFYE BAND
By Noel Chatepa
On 15th October 2024, the Tuntufye band of the Diocese of Karonga was commissioned at St. Mary’s Boys primary school at an event during which the Vicar general of the Diocese of Karonga Monsignor Lorent Dziko was the guest of honor. Mr. Mwawi Shaba, the secretary of the Karonga Diocese’s Caritas Commission, and Mr. Joseph Kimangila, the director of Lusubilo Community Care, were also present at the event.
The Vicar General who represented Bishop Mtumbuka on the day said during his speech at the function, “We encourage the band to incorporate songs that reflect the culture of the people they will be performing for in the Diocese. They can incorporate elements of Mapenenga, Ngwaya, and Ndolo among others into their music as these represent the culture of the people in the Diocese.”
The Vicar General reiterated his advice in a separate interview, saying, “They should be exemplary band members by going to minister to the people in the diocese and they should know that they are a channel for the spreading of the word of God.”
The Tuntufye Band was declared by Bishop Martin Mtumbuka in 2013 and some of its members were sent to Andiyamo in Balaka to get music instruction in 2015. The band didn’t have professional musical equipment during that period, and in 2019 Bishop Mtumbuka acquired professional music equipment for the band. Despite this, the equipment was insufficient, and the band has been given a fresh lease of life life through the purchasing of new equipment in 2024
The band, which has 12 members, including Greg Lusale (Band Coordinator and Vocalist), Julius Mwamkenja (Band Leader and Vocalist), Luster Ngwendu (Team Leader and Pianist), Kumbukani Msowoya (Sound Engineer and Drummer), Aston Kalinga (Lead and Acoustic Guitarist), Mathews Siliwonde (Bass Guitarist), Elijah Ng’ambi (Saxophonist), Lusako Mfatsa (Vocalist and Trumpetist) and Aubrey Sinkhutwe (Vocalist and Drummer).
The Band is one of the diocese’s four evangelism tools, along with the Tuntufye Bookshop, Tuntufye Radio, and Tuntufye Choir. The band performs positive, secular music. The band is dedicated to reducing social injustice in the society and aims to promote socioeconomic growth through evangelism. Bishop Martin Mtumbuka through Mr. Mwawi Shaba is the one who provided funds for the purchase of the new equipment.