UTM fear me and Ngolongoliwa, says Mulli

Business magnet and chairperson of the Mulhako wa Alhomwe Leston Mulli has said United Transformation Movement (UTM)  leadership fears him and  the Lhomwe Paramount Chief Ngolongoliwa because they are putting blocks for the movement to make in roads in the Lhomwe belt.

Mulli told Nyasa Times that UTM leaders including  Vice President Salous Chilima , National Chairman Noel Masangwi , acting Secretary General Patricia Kaliati, George Saonda and director of security Louis Ngalande have  ganged up  against him and Paramount Chief Ngolongoliwa.

“The UTM is afraid of me , they are busy talking about me as if I am a politican, I am a businessman, “ said Mulli.

He said he has noted that each and evry rally addressed by UTM they talk bout Mulli.

“All they are talking is about Mulli and Mulli and Mulli, Why always Mulli?”

The UTM  leaders have been claiming that  the Lhomwe Paramount Chief Ngolongoliwa  and Mulli  jointly  hatched the idea to have Chilima as presidential candidate in 2019.

According to Masangwi, Mulli later chickened out of the issue after he received K3 billion compensation from  government.

He said Mulli also went to Chief Ngolongoliwa and palm oiled him to change heart and not back the proposal to change leadership in DPP.

This has been collaborated by Kaliati and Ngalande.

But Mulli dismissed it, saying it is “hot air and rubbish.”

Mulli said he is a businessman and that he does not organise political events.

On his part Ngolongoliwa said he has never been involved in the formation of any political movement, not even UTM, stressing that doing so would be playing outside his jurisdiction as a traditional leader.

“I had nothing to do with that political grouping,” said the Paramount Chief, who is backed by the cultural ethnic group Mulhako wa Alhomwe.

Paramount Chief confirmed he had  attended a  meeting together with Kaliati and Masangwi, but said the meetings he and the two were present had different agendas, which were not political.

Ngolongoliwa is one chief close to the President.