65 former MCP central region committee defects to UTM

At least 65 former Malawi Congress Party central region committee have defected to vice president Saulos Chilima’s United Transformation Movement (UTM).

Speaking during the formal defection ceremony on Tuesday, one of the former officials , Chatonda Kaunda  who served as MCP deputy secretary general said the group decided to join the movement because the MCP did not want the elderly.

“They told us that we are now too old to serve in the party. Having looked around, we realised that UTM can embrace us and they have indeed welcomed us with all warm arms. We are now home, the thing is to ensure that the party gets into power,” he said.

Speaker of the National Assembly who is also former MCP vice president Richard Msowoya is expected to be formally welcomed into the movement family on Saturday at Masintha ground in Lilongwe during the launch of the movement.

In the north, Loveness Gondwe and 21 others say they will contest the parliamentary elections on the UTM ticket.

Gondwe, former deputy speaker of parliament, was Aford member before she defected to MCP before dumping it to join the movement.