Erstwhile UTM Party leader Michael Usi says he will not challenge his expulsion from the party but hinted that he will react politically.
The country’s Vice-President, fired from the UTM Party after a disciplinary hearing he snubbed on Monday, said by not going to court it does not mean he has accepted the expulsion.
Speaking through his lawyer Wapona Kita yesterday, Usi said he will respond to the expulsion politically since the decision taken by UTM was political.
Said the lawyer: “We are not going to court to challenge the decision as UTM has made a political decision and my client will also react to it politically.”
On whether this meant that Usi had accepted the expulsion, Kita said: “No, he has not.”
Usi was expelled on Monday after failing to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee in Lilongwe where, among others, he was accused of behaving in a manner likely to create divisions or impact negatively on the UTM Party. He was also accused of joining or supporting an organisation or party, other than an organisation in alliance with UTM contrary to Article 22(8) (k) of the party’s constitution.
In a brief response yesterday, UTM Party spokesperson Felix Njawala said they respect Usi’s decision on the matter.
On Monday evening, UTM secretary general Willet Kalonga wrote Usi informing him that the disciplinary committee found his conduct of mobilising people or supporters of UTM Party, in the party’s regalia, to government functions led by Malawi Congress Party (MCP), notwithstanding the fall out in a political alliance between MCP and UTM, contravened Article 22(8)(e) of UTM constitution.
He said: “The disciplinary committee also found that the defendant’s conduct during whistle stops in Mwanza where he was heard endorsing the MCP government by saying ’Boma ndi lomweli [this is the best choice],’ to be in contravention of Article 22 [8] [k] of the party constitution.”
Commenting on the developments private practice and human rights lawyer Khwima Mchizi said Usi was simply being political, stressing that if he does not accept his expulsion the best remedy was to go to the courts.
“This is where UTM has to be proactive, they need the intervention of the court. Usi can choose to continue doing what he does and no one can physically stop him and eventually this may bring chaos.
“The court should actually make an interpretation, so it can actually stop him from using party colours or the name UTM itself in whatever he does. Let them move the court as quickly as possible because both sides are not relating politically,” he said.
In a separate interview, University of Malawi (Unima)- based governance pundit Gift Sambo said Usi, as a former UTM Party leader, did not make any move signalling commitment towa rd s reconciliation.
On his part, governance expert George Chaima said if Usi still chooses to dismiss the legality of UTM convention that elected the current leaders, he needs to choose how he will claim his position back through political or legal means.
“Probably it is time for him to align with the MCP openly. lf Usi chooses to wage a political or legal battle against UTM leadership then we should expect more chaos to follow in the party,” he said.
Usi shunned the UTM Party presidential race by not submitting his nomination papers, citing gross violation of the party’s constitution by the national executive committee.
President Lazarus Chakwera appointed Usi as Vice-President on June 20 2024 following the death of Vice-President Saulos Chilima in a military plane crash on June 10 2024.
In the 2019 Presidential Election, Chilima picked Usi as his running mate. At the time, Usi had a movement Odya Zake Alibe Mulandu, but was working with the UTM Party.
