Chilima excited with UTM progress: Movement leaders go to rural hinterland

United Transformation Movement (UTM) leader Saulos Klaus Chilima  has expressed excitement over the progress the movement is registering just over four months after it was launched, according to grouping’s Publicity Secretary Joseph Chidanti Malunga.

Chidanti Malunga told Nyasa Times after a meeting with Chilima in Blantyre that the UTM message is spreading like bushfire and so far the public response has been encouraging.

“Our president is very excited with the progress that we have made so far within the short period that we have existed as a movement. We successfully launched UTM in all the four political regions of the country:  central, southern, eastern as well as the northern region and now the movement has created lean and agile teams to hold meta-meetings in different parts of the country. So far, this is working and our president is excited about it,” said Malunga.

This progress has not been lost on the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP). The two parties now appear to be out to put spanners in the works of the UTM to derail its momentum.

Over the past weeks, the social media has been awash with rumours suggesting disagreements among top UTM officials over Chilima’s   leadership of the movement.

However, as if to respond to the rumours, UTM came out in full force with power meetings across the country to sensitise the public on the importance of registering to vote in the election next year, and to promote the movement’s transformation vision.

Kambala, Callista in Ntchisi

One of the movement’s senior executive members, who is also Central Region Champion, Newton Kambala, addressed a mammoth crowd in Ntchisi district on Saturday, September 29  2018 where he reiterated UTMs vision to eradicate corruption, cronyism and tribalism and revamp the Malawian economy in order to uplift the socioeconomic conditions of Malawians.

“Malawi is blessed with abundant resources but is currently reeling under the weight of corruption and maladministration. Our private sector is failing to tick due to heavy taxes and a general poor economic environment, and only UTM, under the stewardship of Saulos Klaus Chilima, has a clear agenda to drain the swamp. We are, therefore, positive that come May 21 next year, we are forming a new government which will be people-centered,” said Kambala.

The meeting was also attended by Former First Lady, Callista Mutharika, Anitta Kalinde and other UTM officials who all spoke in unison about movements single minded vision to uplift the social economic wellbeing of Malawians.

Masangwi, Matumula in Yaoland

On Saturday, October 6, 2018, UTMs National Chair who is also Eastern Region Champion, Noel Masangwi, was at Kanyumbu Primary School in Machinga North East Constituency Ntaja, where he reminded his audience that time has come for Malawians to make a bold statement against bad leadership in this country as it is crystal clear that President Peter Mutharika has not lived up to the promise he represented ahead of the 2014 general election.

“Perhaps Mutharika has spectacularly failed as a leader because he spent almost all of his adult life outside this country. That is why he fails to connect with our daily struggles as Malawians, which is also why you people of Ntaja should come out in large numbers to replace him with Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima on 21 May next year.

“Chilima grew up and got his education here in Malawi; he stays here and understands our problem better. He is the therefore in a better position to prescribe practical solutions to end poverty in this country,” said Masangwi.

The meeting was attended by several UTM executives like Lewis Ngalande, Yusuf Matumula and several prominent business people from Machinga who pledged to support the movement by mobilizing young people from the district to rally behind a common UTM vision so that the movement forms next government.

Usi in Neno

And speaking at a public rally held at Neno boma, another senior executive member for the movement, Michael Usi, said it is crucial for people to choose wise leaders to help them spur development in their areas.

Leadership is biblical and even in biblical times of Moses,  God chose wise leaders and not stubborn ones.  So many leaders in Malawi are not effective today because they are stubborn and drunk with power. This is not helping Malawi because to be a leader is to be a servant of the people, said Usi, adding that people of Neno have so many examples of servant leaders who have served in government.

Akweni storms Nsanje

Secretary General for the movement, Patricia Kalitai, fondly called Akweni,  travelled to Nsanje the same weekend where she advised leaders at constituency, district and  regional levels to be steadfast in mobilizing grassroots for the party to win next year elections.

Said Kaliati: “As UTM  we are very lucky because we have a leader in Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima who understands the overreaching challenges that Malawians face. It is clear from the way he articulates his vision for dealing with our challenges that he is one of us; that he knows our problems and understands them clearly. UTM has a master plan for this country and we must give it a chance to fix our problems through the ballot next year.”

Kaliati urged leaders to emulate Chilima by communicating clearly and with purpose. She advised them to desist from using foul language or castigation of political opponents as that would not reflect the transformational spirit which UTM represents.

“You may have noted that other parties are attacking us day and night including using violence, but we have just taken this in our stride; not that we cannot retaliate or that we are fools but our brand of politics is different and our agenda for the country is big,” said Kaliati.

Msowoya in Karonga

In Karonga, Speaker of Parliament who is also MP for Karonga Nyungwe Constituency and also UTM senior executive member, Richard Msowoya, said there is now no reason for people of Karonga to lose hope because UTM and Saulos Chilima represent the most practical and realistic promise to take Malawi out of the DPP doldrums.

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