Chilima touts UTM-MCP alliance as sure victory: ‘A well thought through decision’

UTM Party president Saulos Chilima has assured that the ‘grand alliance’ that the party is going into with Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and other parties is a well thought through decision and they should believe in it, saying ‘ wind of change has come’ as the country prepares fresh presidential elections.

Chilima, 46, who is also the county’s Vice President was speaking to thousands upon thousands  of his supporters during a political rally at Njamba Freedom Park in Blantyre  on Sunday which was televised by private broadcasters, Times, Zodiak, Mibawa and social media users streaming in live.

He said the alliance that UTM has entered into with MCP and other parties is a formidable force that will give Malawians a new era with outright victory against the 80-year-old President Peter Mutharika of the governing Democratic Porgressive Party (DPP).

“Others are very sceptical about our alliance with MCP. Let me tell you that ‘inetu ndimaganiza boo and izizi ndinaganiza boo heavy’,” said Chilima in quoloqial slung to resonate well with mostly of his youthful supporters.

SKC, as he is fondly called by his flowers, said even when he was leaving DPP to form UTM, he had a well thought out plan and so too now when UTM is entering into an electoral alliance with MCP.

“We will have a signing ceremony this week and then we will announce who the leaders of this alliance will be. But do not worry UTM will be there forever,” said Chilima to the cheering cloud.

He also said the alliance has been necessitated with the recent court interpretation of the electoral majority law of  50 percent plus one vote departing from electing the President through First-Past-the-Post

The 50-plus-one system means that a winning candidate should amass more than 50 percent of the votes to be crowned president while the  First-Past-the-Post  allows whoever gets more votes than other candidates to be crowned president irrespective of whether the margin is minimal or large..

“It will not make sense to go it alone and then later hold a run off election because we have failed to secure the 50 plus 1 majority vote. It is better to join hands now so that we win with a 60 plus 12 percent majority vote [Malawians should be governed by a president elected by a majority of voters],” said Chilima.

Cools off alliance fears

Chilima dismmissed fears that UTM will be swallowed up due to the alliance with MCP.

” UTM is here to stay and will remain intact, so will MCP and the other parties. This country needs fixing and we are going into the alliance after careful consideration. The alliance is meant to pull our separate strengths together ,” said Chilima.

He said by going into the alliance, UTM is not doubting is capacity to win the fresh elections alone but upon realising that there is strength in unity.

Chilima  assured Malawians that the alliance is a vehicle for outright victory and redeem the country from further destruction.

“With this alliance Malawians from all concerns of the country will be united and pull their strength and aspirations together,” he said.

He said looking at the “tippexed election” results of the 2019 polls,  it is clear that the combination of himself and Dr Lazarous Chakwera of MCP is a formidable force that DPP/UDF alliance can not beat.

Chilima also announced that going forward the alliance partners will hold joint rallies across the country.

He then urged Malawians to register enmasse, get ready to vote and safequard their vote from being stolen again.

During the rally, Umodzi Party President Professor John Chisi who has been a staunch supporter of DPP joined UTM while George Mnensa of Mafunde party and Davis Katsonga announced their support of the allaince with MCP.

Some members of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Peoples Party (PP), Freedom Party (FP) also attended the Njamba rally while awaiting signing ceremony of the alliance on Thursday in Lilongwe.

Chilima was reinstated as Vice President by the Constitutional Court after nullifying the May 2019 elections.

He arrived at the venue with Police vehicle sirens and his vehicle bearing the number plate MG 2 designated for the second-in-command of the country.

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