Malawi governing Political Alliance divorces, Vice President Chilima proposes call for fresh elections

Malawi Vice President who is has been named in the Zuneth Sattar corruption and money laundering case in the United Kingdom court and the Malawi Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has failed to address the issue in his national address opting to raise grievances on how the presidency was meant to function in the Political Alliance.

Chilima earlier had accused his Alliance partner, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) of pursuing a political with-hunt with the corruption case but was challenged by a simple question: “Does President Lazarus Chakwera control Her Majesty’s National Crime Agency in the United Kingdom?”

Political Alliance Agreement

Chilima is aggrieved that MCP supporters and officials are vilifying in public with the current corruption scandal using it as a tool to eliminate him from the 10 year rotational presidency as agreed.

The UTM Party president’s address to the nation today titled “Living True to Our Promises and Mission” revealed some of the pertinent clauses in the Political Alliance agreement he signed on 19th March 2020 with MCP President Dr Lazarus Chakwera prior to fresh presidential election held on 23 June 2020.

Chilima previously promised that he was going to release the contents of the Agreement at the appropriate time, which other commentators think is not now as he needs to be addresses issues of his naming in a high-level corruption, money laundering and racketeering case to which his UTM Party cadres have allegedly prevented the ACB investigators from taking a statement under caution.

The ten-year equal partners Political Alliance agreement, which Nyasa Times has a copy shows that signature exchanges were witnessed by former President Joyce Banda for Dr Chakwera and Enock Chihana for Dr Chilima.

How the Presidency looks like in the Political Alliance

It further states the role of the vice president: “The Vice President shall be under the general and special directions of the President in the performance of his duties.

Part of the preamble to the Alliance Agreement setting out the purpose, states:

  • for the respective presidents to contest the fresh election one as the presidential candidate and the other as running mate;
  • to increase the chances of winning the fresh election, which we phenomenally achieved together; and importantly,
  • to work together after the election in pursuit of the parties’ common goals of serving the people of Malawi in the attainment of their development aspirations.

The Agreement whose implementation failed to take off post June 2020 victory offer a three months’ notice termination clause and a dispute resolution mechanism in clauses 6 and 5 respectively.

However, Chilima has broken the spirit of the Alliance by going to resolve his grievances in public without following the agreed principles.

“UTM and MCP undertake to adopt mechanisms by which differences shall be settled through negotiation, mediation and conciliation. Where UTM and MCP have failed to resolve their differences in the manner outlined in sub-paragraph (1), they shall appoint three (3) arbitrators to be agreed by both parties. The arbitrators shall comprise a retired Judge, a member of the clergy and any other person agreed by the parties. The decision of the arbitrators shall be final and binding on the parties,” reads clause 5 of the agreement.

Chilima paid tribute to Justice Minister Honourable Titus Mvalo, Ambassador Steve Matenje SC, former Attorney General Dr. Chikosa Silungwe, Mr. Lekani Loga and Chief of Staff Mr. Prince Kapondamgaga, and former Presidential Advisor Pastor Martin Thom for their pragmatic in the formation of the Political Alliance that let to the ousting of former President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and Democratic Progressive Party.

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Son of the land
Son of the land
1 year ago

Not all Malawians are docile

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