UTM set for day-long primaries January 3
Newly registered UTM Party will conduct its much awaited parliamentary and local government primary elections in all the 193 constituencies and 462 local government wards across the country at once on January 3.
To contest on the ticket of the newest party, which is led by Vice-President Saulos Chilima, aspirants will be required to pay K50 000 for members of Parliament (MPs) and K20 000 for ward councillors
UTM secretary general Patricia Kaliati said all the primary elections will be done in one day, assuring aspirants that the polls will be free, fair and credible as opposed to the primary elections conducted by other parties.
Speaking on the sidelines of a political rally conducted by UTM president Saulos Chilima at Kauma in Lilongwe on Monday, Kaliati said the party has studied the causes of chaos and violence in the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
“Ours will be different from the other parties’ primary elections in that the UTM elections will be smooth, free, fair and credible,” she said.
She said the party would pay for any aspirant who will win the election should they have no money.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) is charging K500 000 for men as fee to participate in the parliamentary elections and K250 000 for women whist those aspiring to be councilors will pay K50 000 for men and K25 000 for women.
Presidential aspirants will pay a whopping K3 million.
“We can even pay for the presidential candidates who will not have the money because our president (Saulos Chilima) wants competition during the elections,” she said jokingly to the laughter of the mammoth crowed that thronged Kauma ground.
Political commentator Mustafa Hussein urged UTM to walk the talk on free, fair and credible elections, saying as a new party, it has to a good image to win the trust of the people before the May 21 highly contentious elections.
Primary elections can be conducted simultaneously in one day in all the constituencies. It’s logistically possible though challenging.
These primaries are also bound to be more credible because there won’t be any chance of ferrying people from other areas outside a constituency ( a trend which has been prevalent in other parties) because all the areas will be holding their own elections .
Eagerly watching and waiting.
LET’S AVOID RECYCLED POLITICIANS PLEASE !!
Hope Dr.Jessie Kabwira will win this time around otherwise her next move will be UDF
How can a party hold primaries in all constituencies in one day? UTM is trying to hide the unpopularity of the party.
Kumbwambwana, zimachitika…..vuto lozolowera business as usual ndilimenero
UTM as a party does not have the capacity to hold primaries in all constituencies in one day. Those who are backing this, apparently because things need to be done differently, just show how myopic and ignorant you are. In truth, UTM knows that iyaluka zedi if it holds primaries at different times. Despite too much noise from Chilima there is no competition in UTM (its convention showed this). The party lacks resources, it has low membership and poor grassroots structure etc. Holding the primaries in one day will conceal all these weaknesses. Mwambi wa lero: ng’oma yolilitsa sichedwa kung’ambika.
Well put Angoni, You deserve to be a real political analyst.
Retrogresive thinking!!!! why cant they hold them in one day, what is your problem? In fact that is how its done in most progressive countries, why should primaries last for months???
Which progressive countries are these? Even the most advanced democracies hold them over a period of time
One of the many areas that Malawi is ragging behind is the ability to do things differently. One of the reasons why Malawi University of Science and Technology exists is to help Malawi on this area. Many people are so routine in the way they think and do things to an extent that they see diversions or modifications or improvement to their routine world as an impossibility. General elections are done in one day (more precisely in half a day – 12 hours). Why should primary elections take 3 months? There are much fewer stakeholders involved in primaries, with all… Read more »
Matama akupwetekani Inu a UTM.
It’s not matama .. it’s possible to hire a person to work in your field for 15 days at 5000 which Is 75000 kwacha..and even you can opt to hire 15 people to work in the same field for one day at 75000 kwacha ..so what is matama hear
U can’t do things in the same way and expect a different result. UTM has proved to be different from mbwerera zinazi. Strategizing is the crucial thing. Anthu munkati Chilima wachedwa.lero muzitinji? Please use your brain.dont copy what others don