JB and Chihana confirm attendance of Tonse Alliance meeting with Chakwera

Leader of the People’s Party (PP) Joyce Banda and her Alliance for Democracy (Aford) counterpart, Enoch Chihana, have confirmed that they will attend the Friday Tonse Alliance meeting President Lazarus Chakwera has called.

Former President Joyce Banda is on the side of President Chakwera while The Aford leader who is answering corruption and bribery charges in court for his involvement in a procurement scandal at NOCMA is in alliance with the beleaguered jobless Vice President Saulosi Chilima’s UTM Party.

PP Publicity Secretary Ackson Kalaile confirmed that Banda is attending while Chihana personally told the Zodiak Broadcasting that he will also attend.

UTM and its President Saulosi Chilima are yet to confirm attending the meeting, which is coming only days after Chakwera announced that he has withheld delegated duties to the Office of his vice due to corruption that has embroiled his deputy.

Most people expect that the meeting would have the issue of Chilima high on the agenda.

However, some inside sources have said that as of Thursday it is exactly two years since Malawians voted in 2020, this is a review meeting on how the Alliance has performed, so far.

The leading partner in the Alliance Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has also described the meeting as one of such regular gatherings that the President calls for from time to time.

MCP Publicity Secretary Reverend Maurice Munthali said although he is not aware of the agenda, such meetings are aimed at discussing progress in the efforts of rebuilding the country.

“I do not know the specific agenda. All I know is that the President has to call for such meetings (of all alliance partners) on a regular basis for concerted efforts in rebuilding this country,” said Munthali.

Munthali said the President does two things during such meetings; briefing the partners on some key issues pertaining to the running of government and also listens and takes note of what partners feel about the same.

This will be the first time that Chakwera will be meeting Chilima and other Alliance partners since the Vice President had his delegated duties withheld. It is also the first time the partners are meeting since last year.

One of the Alliance partners has called the meeting “a make or break” meeting.

“Some of us will be eager to know the future of this alliance. I just feel that we seem to have taken a different direction. Do we still have this alliance or is it time each of us focused on their own parties?” said the Alliance member who did not want to be named.

Umodzi Party President, Dr John Chisi, while confirming that he will attend the meeting, also said he is not aware of the agenda and therefore cannot comment on what issues he may raise.

Chisi said: “I just got the communication yesterday. I do not know about the agenda so I really cannot say what issues I will raise.”

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