MCP, PP rejects electoral combination  with UTM 

Senior officials in both  Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and People’s Party (PP) have rejected the proposal by their leaders for their parties to enter into  electoral partnership with the new kid on the block, UTM.

MCP leaders opposing allaince with UTM

Both groups of officials fear  UTM leader Saulos Chilima wants to use the two parties to ascend to the top post of president  and then dump them once he gets elected and  the  rebellion is to an extent that they have told their leaders Lazarus Chakwera and Joyce Banda to join UTM as individuals .

The two parties made their stand known at separate meetings they held on Thursday 15 November 2018.

MCP rebellion

In the north,  MCP deputy national director Mathias Mgomezulu said in Mzuzu that the party will win alone in the 2019 polls.

“MCP will do it alone. MCP will win alone. We do not need any alliance now or in the near future,” said Mgomezulu.

He claimed the parties MCP wants to be in alliance are corrupt and have dented image.

“As MCP, we have no intentions to make any alliances because we are confident of winning the elections, therefore there is no need for an alliance with any party,” said Mgomezulu.

Consultations

Chakwera is reported to have  tasked senior members of the party to meet to discuss a possible alliance with UTM.

The meeting took place at Mlambe Lodge in Area 12 in Lilongwe. MCP publicity secretary Rev Maurice Munthali chaired the meeting. It was attended by 46 officials which  include Ulemu Msungama, Catherine Gotani Hara and her husband and Jessie Kabwila but  MCP deputy president Sidik Mia was not invited to the meeting, in what sources say  is clear demonstration of Chakwera’s growing mistrust of his Number 2.

Munthali told the meeting that Chakwera advised him to invite to the meeting only long-serving members of the party and a few new ones who can make a decision for the party.

Source said Muthali told the officials that Chakwera had made the decision to strike a coalition with UTM in reaction to the recent IPOR survey which revealed that MCP was rraling DPP in opinion survey and cannot win  elections next year unless it gets electoral partners.

The meeting learnt that Chakwera has so far met with Chilima and engaged Joyce Banda over the coalition issue.

However, reports indicate that Chakwera already accepted to stand as running-mate to Chilima. Officials at the meeting indicated in their responses that they were aware that Chakwera has agreed to Chilima’s proposal.

But Gotani Hara, the party’s first deputy secretary generalsaid they were not going to be fooled into getting into an alliance with UTM, saying the new party is made up of people who are just power hungry.

Gotani said if the party is to go into an alliance with UTM, then there should be a legally-binding agreement on how they would share positions once they get into power.

On her take, Kawbila, the estranged former publicity secretary for MCP  is reported to have said she had not been attending closed-door MCP meetings for a while now and she heard they have been discussing rubbish.

“MCP will remain MCP. We will contest in the election on our own,” said Kabwila.

She threatened that if Chakwera insists on dragging MCP into the coalition with UTM, they will work with a group of renegade MCP  MPs who Chakwera frustrated in the primaries and are now forming the New Revolution Malawi Congress Party which they will launch at Masintha Ground.

Kabwila further warned that soon after the meeting she would report to former leader of the party John Tembo that Chakwera wants to sell MCP to Chilima.

She also rubbished the idea of a legally-binding agreement.

At the conclusion a vote was called; 18 members supported the coalition idea while 28 rejected it.

PP decision

While MCP was holding its meeting in Lilongwe, PP was having a similar meeting in Blantyre at the former Shire Highlands Hotel in Limbe on the same day.

The PP meeting started at 15:30 and it was attended by 66 officials. It was chaired by Roy Kachale, son to the party’s leader Joyce Banda.

The PP officials too, including Kachale himself, unanimously rejected that their party should enter into a coalition with UTM.

They said they would rather partner with MCP or join DPP than work with him.

An official in the party says it is actually Ibrahim Matola who is pushing for the coalition issue, on instructions from Joyce Banda who has already met Chakwera and Chilima.

Chilima says no talks

UTM president Saulos Chilima said an earlier interview with Nyasa Times that the party is not in talks with MCP for electoral alliance.

He said UTM is strong enough to take on the ruling DPP  and MCP head on during the tripartite elections.

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Samuel
Samuel
5 years ago

Tinkaenatu ife siyizi mwayambakale kunjenjemera. MCP once the mighty party under Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda is stooping so low. Chaona ine nndichoti zipani zonse zotsutsa kuphatikiza azitsogoleri ao Abiti, Yona ndi Namalegeni aona kuti Afana Pitala aiponnyela kutili gemu. Mbuyomu tikati “Empty tins” munkanditukwana lero mwaziona? Empty tins are meant for noise. If you enjoy noise go for Empty tinned leaders.

mesimadzi
mesimadzi
5 years ago

A Kongilesi ndi a PP, mwachita bwino kukana kugwira ntchito ndi anthu achamba. zaka zonsezi akhala akusuta chamba mozemba panopa akufuna azisuta poyera. osawapatsa mpata. I can’t wait to register my membership to the New Revolution Malawi Congress Party. I will be there with you guys at Masintha.

JKF
JKF
5 years ago

PP says “We would rather partner with MCP or join DPP than work with him (Chilima)”. Hmmmm koma apa pavuta. It appears all parties in Malawi at least agree on one thing: Chilima is the less trusted politician in Malawi. Chilima and UTM munawonjeza matama ngati mwatenga kale boma. And it’s obvious that you can’t even defeat a regional party like MCP on the ballot paper, let alone the mighty national DPP. You are definitely flopping in the next year’s elections and that will be the end of UTM. The very few MPs that UTM will get will defect to… Read more »

mbuje
mbuje
5 years ago

Who in their right mind would want an alliance with a self centred, proud, arrogant and power hungry individual like Chilima?

Keen Observer
Keen Observer
5 years ago

Do not worry leaders go it alone each one of you. It seems that you’re comfortable in the opposition. With that greed come next year Mutharika will be your President again. Mwayamba kale kukangana musanaphe nkomwe nyama. MCP alone there is nothing it can do inalephera MCP ya Gwanda ndi Tembo ndiye mukunena ya Chakwera????? People are suffering & youre busy with your egos.

Kenzo
Kenzo
5 years ago
Reply to  Keen Observer

If indeed people are suffering then they will vote for somebody else otherwise if dpp wins it means Malawians are all happy with the status quo. If people are still voting on regional, ethinical lines other than issues am sorry Malawi is doomed. And we shouldn’t blame the opposition leaders because they are not into alliances.

Thama
Thama
5 years ago

Mpaka Chakwera accepting to be Chilima’s runningmate. Mis alamu chiani? I now believe MCP can’t win the 2019 polls.

bck's
bck's
5 years ago

MCP is Strong enough to win 2019 Elections alone, the research should not be a threat and Chakwera akafuns zimenezo apite yekha Chilima Sadzawina

Mose
Mose
5 years ago

Who is power hungry here

Malawis future
Malawis future
5 years ago

Which is which now? SkC is saying he didnt hv any kind of talks with either party but these parties were busy having indoor meetings . Who is fearing who here? SKC as new kid on the block must continue campaigning with his clear agenda. The guy is lecturing to say the truth. There is 22% undecided voters which are enough to make someone change the tables if convinced. Lets see how it goes. May the best team win for the future of Malawi

Muswahili Mambo Sana
Muswahili Mambo Sana
5 years ago

MCP is afraid of Richard Msowoya, that’s not politics.

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