Kabwila officially joins UTM after dumping MCP

Outspoken former Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokeswoman Jessie Kabwila has officially joined UTM Party at a rally addressed by State Vice President Saulos Chilima at Kauma in Lilongwe Monday.

UTM Secretary General Patricia Kaliati described the joining of Kabwila  – Salima North West parliamentarian -as ‘an early New Year’ gift.

“This is our early new year gift and we are grateful and we know that there are many more coming to join us,” said Kaliati.

Kabwila thanked UTM for “receiving me well”.

She said at the rally: “I do what my people tell me and the 108 areas in Salima North West have told me to come and join UTM. You see when one is walking in the wilderness, God shows you the right way and I am glad that God has shown me the way to join UTM.”

“I have realised that it is only the Vice  President Chilima  who is truly serious about women empowerment, just look at the positions that women got at the UTM convention and this is one of the reasons that have swayed me to join UTM,” added Kabwila.

He said Chilima has matured politically because of the hardships that he has undergone through the DPP administration.

“Instead of being vindictive, he is here to serve the people and offer them a better life through his transformative leadership and am here to offer my support so that UTM wins next year. They call me a machine and I want to assure you that this machine will work,” said Kabwila amid ululations from the huge crowd that attended the rally.

The former president of Chancellor College Academic Staff Union said she has joined UTM with  former leaders of MCP  from  60 areas from Chitala and Lipimbi wards in her constituencies .

Kabwila is renowned for  championing the struggle in defence of academic freedom in Malawi when she was university lecture before joining politics.

The battle for academic freedom started when the former police chief, Peter Mukhito, in 2011  summoned University of Malawi political science professor Blessings Chinsinga to account for a comment he made during a lecture. The action triggered protests that disrupted lecturers for a year.