Veep Chilima pleads for unity in Tonse Alliance

Malawi’s flamboyant vice president Saulos Klaus Chilima, who is also the founding president of UTM, one of the key partners in the Tonse Alliance government has come out of his cocoon after a long silence and publicly pleaded for unity due to incessant intra-parties fielding.

A passionate Chilima, popularly known as SKC, had to publicly come down on his knees symbolising the depth of the problems in Karonga immediately after inspecting some development projects and called for a unity of purpose among all the partners of the Tonse Alliance.

Speaking to a crowd gathered at Karogga Boma, Chilima knelt down, symbolically pleading with UTM Party supporters and those of other parties in the alliance to put aside their differences and let government deliver what it promised.

SKC in Karonga

A visibly concerned Chilima, addressing a crowd on his bended knees and holding a microphone in his right-hand the charismatic political sales-marketer, pleaded: “I kneel before you and the reason why I am kneeling down here is to ask everyone that we should remain united. We are all one and please let us not forget where we are coming from.

“We were together [as Tonse Alliance] during the June 23, 2020 campaign and we are together now. No one should be pompous and get big-headed. Malawi is for all of us and we are one people.

Chilima, therefore, pleaded with all Malawians to remain united and stay focused on developing the country saying this is not the time for squabbles or political campaigns.

Said Chilima: “This is the time to deliver our promises to the people, including providing loans and jobs and reducing the prices of passports. I want to ask that the alliance should move on united.”

“When all of us prayed to God for change, God answered all of us, and all of you. He did not answer one person, God answered everyone’s prayers so no-one should be behaving as if God answered their prayers only.”

What Chillma said in Karonga earlier this week is in complete synchronisation with the remarks president Chakwera made last month, during celebrations for the success of the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) at State House President Chakwera also said:

“Let me emphasise that the June 23, 2020 Fresh Presidential Election victory is for everyone and not the work of one person.

“This was not the work of one person. No one is bigger or better than the rest. It was a united effort. That is why if we remain united, we will achieve great things.”

Chilima leads UTM Party, an important partner of the Tonse Alliance along with Malawi Congress Party (MCP) led by President Lazarus Chakwera.

The two parties, alongside seven other political parties, teamed up to oust the former governing Democratic Progressive Party in the June 23 2020 Fresh Presidential

Chilima publicly condemned UTM Party followers when they were involved in political violence in Karonga during the March 30 by-elections campaign when they allegedly stoned a vehicle belonging to MCP officials.

UTM Party mouthpiece, Tumpale Frank Mwenifumbo in an interview played down the squabbles saying that; “everything is well and good.”

However, Mwenifumbo said as a matter of concern, the party was worried with the continued political bickering on social media adding that all parties in the Tonse Tonse Alliance are supposed to speak but one voice as they share a common goal, to see Malawi develop.

Said Mwenefumbo: “There is so much intentional bickering and political mudslinging on social media. Some people out there just want to a rift between parties or their leaders.

“I have twice reached out to the MCP camp on the need for us to meet so that we can find a lasting solution and show solidarity to each other and in tte process garner support for our leaders.

However, MCP secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka who is also Foreign Affairs and International Affairs minister told The Nation on Wednesday that; “all was well in the party.”

“The statement from the Vice-President has context, and I think it wouldn’t be right for me to comment on that. As far as I know, all is well,” Mkaka told the local paper.

But in an earlier interview with Times Television, Mkaka said “there is no entity called Tonse Alliance”.

Mkaka told the TV: “We went to the polls on MCP ticket, leading the Tonse Alliance, but within the alliance, parties have maintained their independence in terms of operations and existence.

“So, I wanted to make it clear that it should not be surprising to see that we have featured different candidates during elections because there is no entity called Tonse Alliance.”

“This was an administrative arrangement which we thought was ideal at that particular time for Malawi to move forward. But, of course, we have to be careful so that this should not derail development, because instead of fulfilling the promise, we may waste time building parties.”

As reported by the Nation, political and governance experts have said the continuing rift within Tonse Alliance shows a lack of intra-alliance democracy and misplaced priorities, warning if MCP and UTM Party leaders do not review their agreement, the alliance may be short-lived.

University of Malawi’s Chancellor College political and administrative studies professor Happy Kayuni said in an interview the party supporters have not been guided on how to handle each other during campaigns.

He said: “What has complicated this alliance is that the leadership did not take time to explain their rank and file on how they should relate with each other. Already, when MCP thinks it is on the driving seat, it forgets the 50 percent +1 rule, it is very rare to get that in Malawi.

“If you are so pompous and you think you can be alone, it may be a wrong calculation. What MCP needs is to assume the role of a senior partner who unites the rest, and respect will not be earned by numbers but by how it behaves towards others.”

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Fukushima
Fukushima
2 years ago

Chilima thought he was clever when he played his cards so close to his chest during the alliance negotiations, not knowing that he was dealing with the devil incarnate himself. As things are he has so much to lose if he decides to damp the alliance now. Obviously his party’s presence means nothing after MCP got what they wanted. Kwantele is not mincing words when you listen to his sentiments concerning this marriage of Convenience. He said it in Parliament that most of the promises his government is unable to deliver is not his but UTM’s. His is the high-five… Read more »

Anzelu ndi Anzelu
Anzelu ndi Anzelu
2 years ago

Nkhani ya Chilima is very complicated and l hope these alliance partners will resolve the succession matrix before its too late. Firstly, Chilima will have served two terms as Veep, and therefore cannot serve again in Chakwera’s 2nd term unless Chakwera steps down and allows Chilima to be president. That also is complicated because it would mean UTM will be the ruling party and MCP will be technically knocked off the perch. According to the letter of the law and the constitution, Chilima is in a very precarious position and am sure that if Chakwera does not endorse him as… Read more »

William Chirwa
2 years ago

Mkaka is right the alliance is MCP led and other parties are junior partners. If anything goes wrong itsMCP to blame not the bicycle passenger so the VP should know it. Secondly its his secretive pact with the president of MCP which is again a pr9blem because nobody in the rank and file of the two parties know the fine details of the agreement. Him always says he will be charge come 2025 and this is an irritating to MCP followers who have been in the wilderness of politics for 26 years. Alliance indeed served its purpose if other parties… Read more »

Ndede
Ndede
2 years ago

Dr Chilima…..that’s MCP for you. In case you just forgotten, you divorced PP (Joice Banda) barely 2 days into alliance. What would make this mega alliance work when PP is party to this? Uli dele nkulinga utayenda naye. Mwazionatu kuti siife tokha amene tikufuna ku Egypt. But of all this, here are vivid lessons for you….a) be humble….b) be patient and c) be trustworthy. Mudataya womwetamweta chifukwa chosadekha. With APM and DPP you could see easily ascend to the highest office….but with MCP you will die like a poisoned dog. Mudanyoza dzanja limene lidakudyetsani, lomwe lidakuombolani….lomwe lidakuonetsani kudziko…..izi ndi ndale… Read more »

Medsonchimudima3@gmail.com
2 years ago

Zikatero madzi ayamba Katondo

ankhwinda
2 years ago

MCP ili bwino poti mtsogoleri wake ndi Abusa akanakhala anthu enawa dzikoli bwenzi lili pamoto

Nalingula
Nalingula
2 years ago

What we Expect is for the Government to Deliver …It’s Understandable that they are Frustrations from People Within the Alliance – all parties….They Expected that…They would be getting contracts and some benefits associated with a Party in Power like it used to be in the past ……And put in the Mix Controversial Politicians like Frank – violence follow them wherever they go ….I would think People that both Camps can relate to eg Kaliati would be in the forefront discussing if there are issues not Frank… people don’t like his politics …He is just an Opportunist who blows with the… Read more »

Atokwene
Atokwene
2 years ago

Mr. Chilima take note that MCP has nothing to lose .They don’t need you anymore. Mkaka is absolutely right. The alliance was a mere administrative arrangement and *Not binding *. MCP is a stand alone party and doesn’t not need UTM to run the Affairs of Malawi. So bambo chilina don’t say kuti tisaiwale Komwe Tachokera. The mission was to get rid of DPP and that was done . We dont need you anymore Ngakhale mutagwada chotani

ankhwinda
2 years ago
Reply to  Atokwene

Anthu osamva aja amodzi ake ndi inu

zapadziko
zapadziko
2 years ago
Reply to  Atokwene

Ndiye umunthu wa MCP uli pati pamenepa ngati anangofuna kuwathandiza kukhala pa mpando?

Isaac Kanalo
Isaac Kanalo
2 years ago
Reply to  Atokwene

chitsiru iwe. Don’t forget Chilima is a game changer in Malawi. Idiots like you don’t know this.

Fido
2 years ago
Reply to  Atokwene

You need to know before you raised your issue, without him mukumunyozayi you were just nothing, remember 25 years being kosutsa isn’t a joke, do you think mutamutaya Chilima and come election mungawine? ine MCP sindimayikonda ndipang’ono pomwe but i voted MCP bcos of Chilima was there in Tonse alliance, am a die heart of UDF, mind you MCP God is watching, usasiye mulomo koma uzisiya phazi

Jmc
Jmc
2 years ago
Reply to  Fido

U voted for tonse alliance not mcp

sikelo
sikelo
2 years ago
Reply to  Atokwene

MCP and UTM are one. Please don’t let these noisy cadetes misguide you. Tonse Alliance will deliver and save Malawi from the catastrophe which DPP brought.

Last edited 2 years ago by sikelo
Prosper
Prosper
2 years ago
Reply to  Atokwene

In my dialect we say “kukanganwa chazuro nehope”. All of a sudden MCP does not need UTM because they are now in power; power of which they couldn’t ascend to without the help of other Tonse partners? Where is the humility? This only demonstrates the shallow level of geo-political understanding from the advocates of this somewhat arrogant view of desregarding other partners. Mind you, the unfortunately inconvenient fact is that MCP on its own cannot garner 50%+1 votes in a free and fair election. It has needed partners and will still need partners to do so. The whole is greater… Read more »

Zamkutu
Zamkutu
2 years ago

Some senior members of MCP are making a big mistake in thinking that they can go it alone in governing when they can’t win alone at the polls. If this thinking persists these officials will be shocked in 2025. MCP support is assured in most parts of the Central Region; but not beyond that. In the era of 50+1, MCP cannot afford to alienate their alliance partners: It’s as simple as that…

Corned Beef
2 years ago
Reply to  Zamkutu

2o25 is a long way off. Eat while the sun shines. Run when it starts to thunder.

Zoona zenizeni
Zoona zenizeni
2 years ago

The signs are now on the wall. Chilima has no power to bargain now. He have it all because of greed and impatience. Tonse alliance is like crabs put in a pail and each trying to climb out yet pulling each other down. Nkaka is the one who is going to make this alliance fall apart. I am told Nkaka akufuna kutsira nchenga mu mpunga wagulu chifukwa akufuna kubwezera damaging report that was done by Chilima in cabinet assessment. Just looking at the facial expression of nkaka it tells the guy is heartless and a wizard.

Bauleni
Bauleni
2 years ago
Reply to  Zoona zenizeni

Eh eh mwatani kodi he he he mpaka wizard?

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