Chilima off to Britain, to speak at Chatham House on public service and accountability in Malawi

Malawi’s Vice-President and leader of United Transformation Movement (UTM) Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima leaves for Britain on Sunday for a one week visit that will see him speak at the respected Chatham House – The Royal Institute of International Affairs –  in London and attend a political summit at the House of Commons.

Special Assistant to the Vice President on economic affairs Milward Tobia said in a media statement on Saturday that Chilima’s visit to United Kingdom is for “a holiday and private engagements.”

He said Chilima will return to Malawi on October 21 2018.

However, a programme of events seen by Nyasa Times indicates that while in UK, Chilima   -who ditched the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) – will speak at Chatham House in London on Wednesday October 17 and his talk will run between noon to 1pm (1pm to 2pm Malawi time).

Organisers of the talk at Chatham House said Vice President Chilima will discuss the formation of his new party UTM, and how to foster intra-party democracy.

“He will present its approach to poverty reduction, addressing economic instability, and challenges ahead of next year’s elections,” reads a brief from organisers seen by Nyasa Times.

According to the organisers, public concerns of periodic food shortages and power outages, together with continuing fiscal uncertainty amidst spiralling public debt, bring added significance to the electoral process and beyond and significant pressures on the next government.

Malawi will hold presidential, parliamentary and local ward elections on May 21 2019.

Chatham House pointed out that Chilima‘s decision to form UTM, as well as the return of former president Joyce Banda to mainstream politics, mean that with such issues at stake and political discourse dominated by allegations of corruption, Malawi’s leaders across the spectrum will need clear policy focus to address the country’s significant challenges and meet citizens’ needs.

While in the UK, Chilima is also scheduled to deliver a speech at a political summit on Thursday October 18 in the evening at the House of Commons, Grimond Room, Portcullis House in London.

“The summit will be looking at the narrow and broad concepts of political-will to act, and the public-will’s power to react, in the very context of an individual leader, or collective leadership actions in critical political decision-making in governance,” organisers said in a statement.

London Political Summit has created a special award African Peace Accord Award which will be given annually to any African leader who embraces peace, values democracy and exhibits high level of political maturity and tolerance.

Chilima has also been invited to attend a political awards gala on Friday October 19 2018 at London Metropolitan University.

The awardees will go through strict criteria and vetting. Some of the criteria used will be political tolerance, people-oriented leadership, political accountability and political morality among other vital issues in governance.

The first recipient of the award will be Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta following their Peace Accord Handshake which ended political acrimony and intolerance after Kenya’s election in 2017 which had threatened to divide the country and increase of violence.

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