UTM confirms it will form alliance with MCP ahead of Malawi fresh polls
UTM Party has announced that it has resolved to form an electoral alliance with main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) aimed at defeating President Peter Muthatika in the first ever fresh presidential election tentatively set for May 19.
Opposition leaders have vowed to field one candidate for the MCP-UTM alliance who will face President Mutharika in the fresh elections.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, UTM secretary egenral Patricia Kaliati and director of publicity Joseph Chidanti Malunga s confirmed the alliance after “reaslising that there us groundswell of support for a united front among Malawians discontented with the sad state of affairs in the country.”
In the UTM statement, the party said its leader State vice-president Saulos Chilima, has been mandated to conclude the “final details” of the alliance agreement on behalf of the party.
“It is further hereby announced that signing ceremont of the alliance agreement shall take place at Bingu International Centee on 19th March 2020 at 10.00 hours,” reads the statement co-signed by Kaliati, who was leading the UTM technical team in talks with MCP.
To date, MCP president Lazarus Chakwera and his UTM counterpart Saulos Chilima—the duo that secured the landmark judgement by the five-judge panel of the High Court of Malawi sitting as the Constitutional Court that nullified the May 21 2019 presidential election on February 3 2020—has not dropped hints on how they may share power in the event of an alliance.
In the run-up to the annulled presidential election, Chakwera partnered former president Joyce Banda and her People’s Party (PP) as well as the country’s former vice-president Khumbo Kachali and his Freedom Party. The partnership between MCP and the two is still intact.
Talk of the MCP and UTM Party electoral alliance is coming a week after President Peter Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) unveiled a partnership with United Democratic Front (UDF), a move some commentators have argued exerts pressure on Chakwera and Chilima.
Both MCP and UTM Party developed their manifestos which they touted as geared towards bailing Malawians out of abject poverty, drive away deep-rooted corruption and create job opportunities for the youths, among other issues.
The UTM manifesto clearly indicates how it will deal with corrupt leadership, saying that the party shall empower the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) in the enforcement of the Construction Industry Act and the code of ethics.
The manifesto further hints that the party supports civil society initiatives such as those under the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST) in working with State enforcement agencies such as the Anti–Corruption Bureau (ACB), the Auditor General and the Office of the Director of Public Procurement (ODPP) to ensure accountability and transparency in awarding contracts.
UTM also promises that the sitting president shall be stripped of immunity so that he or she should be prosecuted whenever found to be involved in corrupt practices while still serving as the State president.
On agriculture, UTM promises a universal fertiliser subsidy with a 50 kilogramme bag pegged at K4 500. The party also promises to introduce mega farms to ensure mass production of crops such as maize, cotton and rice as well as employment.
Further, Chilima passionately pledged to create one million jobs within the first 12 months in office.
In its manifesto which party officials described as a “diagnosis of the problems Malawians are facing and a prescription to the economic and human development ailments Malawians are going through”, MCP focuses on challenges facing the agricultural sector.
Specifically on agriculture, MCP promises farmers a universal subsidy programme which according to officials will see all Malawians regardless of their status having access to cheaper prices of farm inputs.
Both MCP and UTM, through their manifestos, fault the design and implementation of the targeted Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) which for the past 15 years has been providing subsidised inputs to ultra-poor Malawians.
The two parties speak a similar language, particularly on agriculture and anti-corruption fight drive.
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This alliance will not work. Chilima is going back to DPP. This guy is something else. This why they committee agreed with MCP but him is busy with DPP, and they have set 19 March as date for signing ceremony because Chilima is busy negotiating with DPP. I cant understand how someone can spend time critizing DPP on corruption only to plead to join them. That’s Chilimaism
How do you know that? I thought UTM has said it is going to sign an agreement with MCP? Za m’maluwatu izi.
Ine olo atandithira Doom kamwa sindingasatile Chilima ku MCP. MCP inandivesa kuwawa why Chilima , Why Chilima i want you to be President not vice
Choka iwe Cadet unabadwa 1994 ndiye unamva kuwawa liti ulimumimba mwa mako kapena
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You will be shocked that there will be no voting due to corona virus Some developed countries are restricting people gathering from large groups .yet some foolish people wants to go to Demo. Corona virus ikakuumbuzani kumenrko apumbwa Inu
Who is joining the other? Who should announce alliance meetings? Is it a small party or a big party? Something is not adding up here. Let us wait and see. You mean UTM is overtaking MCP?
Chilima siwamasewera. He will reduce Chakwera to chola boy. He has already got 50% of cabinet posts when he only have 4 MPs against 54 for MCP. It means Callista Mutharika nayenso akufuna u minister. Malawi going to the dogs.
I want to applaude MCP and UTM for putting Malawians first rather than the politics of DPP and UDF that has created regionalism and tribalism. The MCP must desist itself from the politics of Kamuzu Banda and John Tembo. Let this alliance be the alliance that will bring change in which all Malawians will believe in it. This alliance has a huge support in the Central region and Northern region because most people believe in it. The first thing this alliance must do is to create a federal system where the presidency must be rotated among our three regions. Each… Read more »
even mcp has politics of regionalism.thats why in MCP NEC 90% ndi anthu aku central Region .
zinangovuta kuti atumbuka mulipo ochepa komaso amakani thats Why AFORD inakukanikani.
apamuzingogwilisidwa ntchito ngat CONDOM ndi anthu aku SOUTH and CENTRAL
wa Nyau, check very well, mcp NEC yatsopano is full of former PP NEC and mostly from North and South….ukamati 90% central, where do u take the figures? Check Dpp Cabinet, full of Lomwe belt
mulekeni, ‘bakha uyu’, kuzolowera kuonongera mmadzi koma chosecho akusaka zakudya momwemo
Please just name them tiseke
Great move now what remains is the torch bearer and this is where the two parties should trade carefully and the tricky scenario is like this = if you decide to opt for Pastor Chakwera automatically MCP will be divided and secondly most UTM supporters are not happy to be lead by Chakwera and will either not vote or decide the other way round. Lastly, has done so many blunders and does not hold the spiritual blessings of being a leader from God – he also no any feel of how the government is run in short his political experience… Read more »
Jamax, Sidic Mia already indorsed the Alliance, hence no divisions in MCP. Chilima has already accepted to be running mate and why are you worrying?. On experience, what was Chilima doing as VP? did APM require experience to be President?
Check with the Kazombos and the Kandondo’s of Kasungu + 36 other MPs who indorsed Chilima in the first place …what are they saying??????
Jamax: Those are your wish but it won’t happen. Your propaganda won’t work here
Yes they are my views please don’t just hate me you are also free write yours – otherwise it could be the reality on the ground.
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Go back to school and learn grammer
thanks so much a fundisi.!!!!!!!!!..
UDF/DPP can not win the next elections. These parties lost trust of Malawians due to excessive corruption. Having MCP/UTM/FP/AFFROD/PP on one hand against APM. The old man can’t survive. I have no doubt Atupele will be campaigning for Chakwera because he is not stupid. He knows it was MCP members who visited him in prison when he was targeted for a kill by DPP.
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