United Transformation Movement (UTM) president Dalitso Kabambe has delivered a strongly worded statement condemning the political chaos and division that marred Kamuzu Day commemorations, warning that Malawi is dangerously drifting towards partisan hostility even during moments meant to unite the nation.
UTM president: Kabambe
In a hard-hitting statement titled “Patriotism Before Partisanship: Reclaiming the Spirit of National Unity,” Kabambe said the ugly scenes witnessed during Thursday’s Kamuzu Day celebrations exposed a deeper national crisis where political interests are overshadowing patriotism and collective identity.
“What we witnessed yesterday was not merely a political misunderstanding. It was a painful reminder of how easily partisan interests can overshadow national duty,” Kabambe said.
His statement comes barely hours after police fired tear gas to disperse supporters of the Malawi Congress Party who were accompanying former president Lazarus Chakwera to Kamuzu Mausoleum in Lilongwe following a parallel memorial event organised by MCP.
The incident triggered sharp political reactions and exposed widening divisions surrounding national commemorations.
Without directly naming the government, Kabambe warned against turning national monuments and memorial events into politically controlled spaces, saying such actions weaken the spirit of nationhood itself.
“A national day of remembrance is not the property of a ruling party, an opposition party, or any political grouping. It belongs to the people of Malawi collectively,” he said.
Kabambe described national monuments and memorials as “sacred spaces of shared identity,” cautioning that politicising access to them risks damaging national cohesion and democratic maturity.
In one of the strongest passages of his statement, the former Reserve Bank governor questioned whether Malawi is teaching future generations to honour national days with dignity or normalising division even during moments intended to foster unity.
“At a time when our nation faces profound economic hardship, social frustration and growing uncertainty, we cannot afford to waste our energy on symbolic battles that deepen division while our people suffer,” he said.
The UTM leader’s remarks appeared aimed at both the government and opposition political actors, urging leaders across the divide to rise above partisan calculations and cultivate a culture where national events become platforms for unity rather than exclusion.
“The flag of Malawi must always fly higher than the colours of political parties,” Kabambe declared.
He further called for the establishment of a non-partisan national protocol governing State commemorations and memorial events to prevent political interference and future confrontations.
Kabambe also invoked some of Africa’s most respected liberation icons, including Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere and Nelson Mandela, arguing that true patriotism must rise above political rivalry and tribal divisions.
“Patriotism must always be greater than partisanship,” he said.
In emotionally charged closing remarks, Kabambe warned that a nation unable to unite in honouring its past would struggle to unite in building its future.
“Malawi’s greatness has never rested in political parties. It has always rested in its people, our resilience, our humanity and our willingness to stand together in moments that matter most,” he said.
The statement positions Kabambe as one of the first major political leaders outside the immediate MCP-DPP rivalry to publicly challenge the growing politicisation of national events following the chaotic Kamuzu Day commemorations.
